The Reluctant Mafiosa
by Black Supernova
Summary: Sawada Tsunayoshi just has life simple and prefers a life as a wallflower. To that end, she refused to stand out no matter what and preferred the life of a normal girl...well, almost normal when she's unique in her own ways. She'd rather be a great cook, not a...mafiosa. But Vongola doesn't give her much of a choice! Fem!Tsuna
1. Chapter 1

The Apprentice Wallflower...NOT!

A young girl visited a shop in Sumiredori, specifically entering Restaurant Yukihira.

She's a petite middle schooler with spiky brown shoulder-length hair she wears in loose, two-braided pigtails with expressive brown eyes and fair skin. She came wearing a yellow simple dress and brown loafers.

'Yukihira-sensei, I'm here!' she called out.

'Konnichiwa Sawada-chan!' a young boy same age as her, Yukihira Soma greeted. 'Pops went out restocking the pantry so go get ready for lessons!'

'Hai!'

'Its been four years since that ojouchan came here eh. Soma-kun?' an old man asked Soma.

'Yeah, she's working hard and eager to please, so pops is happy to teach her.' said Soma as he went back down memory lane. Four years ago, 9 years old Sawada Tsunayoshi came to their restaurant, asking Yukihira Joichiro to teach her how to cook. She decided that Yukihira is the best-ever restaurant she's ever eaten from with her mother and expressed her desire to learn.

Her motives were lost to Soma as she yanked his father for a private reason he would never know, ever. But she somehow managed to win his father over. But to be a cook, one has to be physically fit first while learning the basics, before she could learn how to prepare ingredients, condiments and food. Joichiro told her to do various exercises and once she's strong enough, he would teach her at age 12, when she's in Grade Six.

She definitely returned three years later, taller and stronger, eyes burning with determination to learn how to cook, and learned Yukihira Style Cooking.

For hours on end until 9 pm starting after school, she learned various cooking techniques from around the world and every school holidays, she would learn how to prepare and utilize ingredients to perfection for best taste and encouraged unorthodox, creative and delicious ideas to visualize and create by intimately studying everything.

She was happy that her life is so simple, and poured her passion into cooking for what she had in mind.

His dad told him that he's better off not knowing and told him that she's a 'sad girl' who wanted to use cooking to keep her family whole. Soma thought she has a lonely life and wisely went quiet if she thought cooking would keep her family in one piece.

Thus when Tsunayoshi officially started, he got to know her for a year and continuing.

She worked with sheer focus and diligence, honing her knife skills to be near his level. He's years ahead of her to be able to do fast-speed cutting, thus she cuts slowly just to be able to cut things evenly. She's cooking at her home, not a restaurant so she has no need for speedy knife skills like he does!

But she still tries, and increases her speeds little by little depending on confidence level, and has a knack for having incredible intuitions that served her well, and is incredibly lucky in prize games and more often, as her means to repay the Yukihiras for spending time on her, she gives them her prizes that involved out-of-town lavish vacations while keeping the ones for women for her mother such as free spa treatments or special privileges mothers would definitely enjoy.

At home, she utilizes her techniques, practically taking over the kitchen every breakfast time, wanting to practice.

This has been one Sawada Nana's routine since the day they ate at Yukihira's those years ago. The food there was the best they've ever had, within reach of the common masses thus its highly popular, and her daughter absolutely idolized and adored her cooking teacher, singing praises every time they spend mother-and-daughter time together, and talks about what she's learned and hoped that she could go to Tootsuki at High School once she learned enough from her teacher, hoping to become a chef as 'cool as he is'.

She accepted that her daughter is an ideal one any mother would be lucky to have, even if she did average in school. Her daughter hated standing out, preferring a quiet life, and thoughtful, kind, honest and polite with a great bond with her mother, Nana felt very lucky with her daughter when most daughters these days preferred company of friends and boyfriends than family.

If only Sawada Nana knew what her daughter truly feels...she may think otherwise.

Present day...

Japan...

A young woman arrived in Namimori. She has long pink hair and green eyes.

In her hands, is a folder, and her luggage bag. She got off the bus, dragging her bag with her. She opened her folder to reveal a photo of a petite Japanese girl and information written in English. Her stats and general public information.

'Really now...me, teach this girl how to be Lady Vongola? They're barking mad...' she cringed. Bianchi a.k.a 'Poison Scorpion' just can't see how she can even survive their world when she's a delicate flower by her looks alone. 'I better see how this ends at least...this is gonna be real ugly.'

She went into the neighborhood, and mailed a piece of folded paper into the mailbox and waited from afar before getting her entrance, while watching through her binoculars.

Her young charge is cooking breakfast while the mother is getting her school stuff and table setting ready.

'Hooo? She's into cooking eh? One thing I might get along with her if only I don't end up poisoning my products...what a shame.' she sighed rather lamentingly. Soon, Nana came out for the daily newspaper...and she found the note she left. This. is. it.

xxx

'Tsu-chan, lookie what I found~!' Nana squealed, showing her the note. 'There was this interesting flyer so I gave them a call right away.'

Tsuna STARED at the note.

'I will raise your child to become a proper lady of the next generation. I am young, good-looking and female. And as long as there's free lodging and meals, no charge',' Tsuna read aloud before grabbing the paper, and tossed it in the trash bin.

'Tsu-chan!' Nana whined. Outside at the trees, Bianchi's jaws dropped and paid attention to the girl's lips as she wore a flat, deadpan expression.

'Mom, you're an adult. Surely you have the ability to detect scams like these?' Bianchi read. 'There's lots of con-artists these days and other unsavory folk, Joichiro-jichan taught me how to sniff out scams, especially as its just us two girls here. If you bought into this, I'm calling the police'. Uh-oh...' the mother is naïve, the girl isn't.

Looks like regardless, she has to show up.

Show up she did.

'Buongiorno~' she appeared at the kitchen window, and to her interest, the daughter noticed her arrival and only when she talked did the mother notice her.

'Oh my...what language is that?' Nana blinked. Tsuna however, knew foreign languages in regards to polite greetings as part of her Hospitality Lessons.

'Italian.' said Tsuna with a slight frown. 'What could an Italian woman want with us?'

'Ufufufu...I'm sent here to make a proper lady out of you for the family.' said Bianchi with a charming, confident smile. 'By your father.' Shadows fell on the girl's face and her expression turned blank while Nana looked excited at first, but not even she could ignore what came next.

Cold, chilly aura of animosity ensued, followed by a tight fist and backfisted the poor pot of miso soup, causing a deep dent and sent the pot flying and splashed its contents all over the kitchen floor, and she lunged at her with intent to kill, grabbing a kitchen knife to Nana's horror. 'Tsu-chan?!' Nana gasped out as Bianchi ran away from a girl who went from docile, fragile flower into a mad dog that wants to kill her with the knife she has, and she has to fight back with hand-to-hand and her Scorpions as she currently has no foodstuff on her.

'Whoa! What on earth did I do?!' Bianchi sputtered out as she was bamboozled as to what set the girl off in mad fury while impressed with her fighting skills. 'I just stated my purpose!'

The girl's face was that of blank fury and she was like on autopilot in fighting but if one looked closer, she was royally pissed thus claims of autopilot is utterly impossible.

'Tsu-chan, stop!' Nana wailed, calling out from the windows at her berserk daughter who loved cooking and would never waste food but something set her off. 'Please stop! What happened to you?! Tsuna!'

'I'd appreciate it if you tell me why you're mad at me when we just met?!' Bianchi sputtered out as Tsuna looked at her with sheer cold fury in her eyes, but her facial expression remained blank before smiling.

'**I have no father.**' she said in a robotic manner coldly while still smiling sweetly. '**If you claim otherwise, I'll cook you...OK?**'

Bianchi shuddered at the threat but she was also excited. This girl is no Lady to be used to pop out the next heir! She's a Warrior suitable to become the next boss! But a boss with...daddy issues.

She ultimately decided that that info she got, is utter trash, and re-evaluation is a must. Tsuna then ran off away from the house.

xxx

'D-did Tsuna tell you what...made her like that?' Nana choked out feebly, shaken from what she witnessed earlier. 'My baby girl...my sweet, smiling daughter...I never knew she could do that...I-I thought...' she whimpered before her knees gave up on her and she sank from shock.

'I guess you don't know your daughter much either.' Bianchi sighed as she took out a customized Satelite Phone. 'I'm dialing your husband's number, and tell him what you just saw.' she instructed as she dialed said number before giving it to the shocked woman. 'I was hired to educate your daughter, but...'

xxx

Italy...CEDEF...

It was late afternoon over there...and it was a normal day at work...

Until Iemitsu got a phone call from Bianchi...only, it wasn't Bianchi but his distraught wife(who borrowed her phone) who told him what transpired that Japanese morning, and Bianchi TORE into him for giving her inaccurate information about his daughter who is definitely not Lady Material, she has fighting abilities that would show her potential as future Vongola Decima.

Iemitsu was horrified.

His little girl was not only capable of fighting...but hated him too!

Stunned with shock as he dropped his phone when Bianchi repeated four words.

'I have no father.'

xxx

Bianchi looked everywhere for her pupil who ran off after making her point clear, once she made sure the missus was OK from shock that her daughter went berserk.

That, and she talked in Italian as the clearly fragile woman definitely did not need another shocker. That her daughter denied her father.

It took her a while to find her and she's at Sumiredori, working at the kitchens. 'Tsuna!' she called out as she burst in when Joichiro got exposed to the young girl's malice.

'10...9...8...7...'

Bianchi ran away because she could not afford casualties and Nono won't be too happy if Tsuna killed someone out of anger

'...T-tuna-chan? What's that all about?' Joichiro shuddered in fear as he never thought adolescents these days are scary...maybe its that time of the month?

'Nothing ojisan...nothing at all...' said Tsuna as she went to cutting meat with a meat cleaver but while she cut the meat OK, she did it in a manner that she wanted to KILL someone. That malice from before is SCARY!

Joichiro decided to make her a nice, cold chocolate drink. It works on his late wife, why not her?

xxx

Elsewhere, Bianchi made the decision to fork the job to Reborn.

She's on Tsuna's shit list just for mentioning Iemitsu's role in her life and despised anything related to him outside of her house. Cohabitation is IMPOSSIBLE.

She sighed.

Bianchi looked at the information she had, and chucked it to her fireplace before seriously investigating the kid before handing the job to Reborn. Unlike Iemitsu she'll do a clean job of that at least!

She learned from Nana that her daughter is a quiet one who hated standing out, thus, does what she can in order not to. But since they ate at Restaurant Yukihira(where they ate incredibly delicious food within reach of common folk), Tsuna had a strong determination to learn. She physically trained herself for three years, as Yukihira Joichiro told her that being a chef is physically demanding, she has to be physically fit, thus practically begged her mother to allow her and buy things she needed before she could get that desired cooking apprenticeship. Training Weights and exercise applications, Yoga Class, Aerobics Exercises, Dance Class...she did it everyday without missing a day. Thus for a thirteen year old girl, she's physically fit with impressive physique for her age.

Bianchi saw numerous sandbags, rope, finger grips of various tension levels in the storage, and then CDs of Yoga and Dance by their living room.

But these however, did NOT explain how Tsuna could fight so damn well. Nana doesn't know either. The only things Tsuna did so far, were training, and learning in Sumiredori.

Next is talking to Yukihira Joichiro.

'About Tuna-chan?' Joichiro asked as 9 pm was closing time, and Bianchi called him out for a private chat.

'Yes. I heard from Sawada-san what you asked her to do when she wanted apprenticeship from you.' said Bianchi. 'Did that include martial arts?' the man looked incredulous.

'Heck, no!' he scoffed. 'Tuna-chan is too adorable and cute for such tomboyish things! I've known her for a years She's always smiling, a gentle, kind thoughtful girl who's too tiny to even be in such a world! I'm giving her points for being determined and diligent though...most girls would be squeamish at handling raw meat and seafood for obvious reasons...she's aiming to graduate at my old school, Tootsuki so she's learning all she could from me first before stepping into that super-elite culinary school. She has this incredible intuition I lost count on how many lotteries she won, seriously...in her way to repay me and my son for tutelage, she would give us out-of-town free vacations she's won every school holidays.' Bianchi took note of that.

It made sense.

All who has Vongola Blood has the power of Hyper Intuition. And Martial Arts originally came from dancing, all they had to do was apply the offensive means of punching and kicking. It was how Tsuna knew how to fight and her intuition enabled this inexperienced girl to fight toe-to-toe with her. Scary girl...

'But why did she want to be a chef? Her mother doesn't know a thing.' Bianchi pointed out. She noted the man's expression changing.

'Well...that's the reason I took her in.' he said as Bianchi perked her ears. 'She begged me because she wanted to keep her family whole when she too, gets married someday.' he told Bianchi. 'Every day after school, she would see cars coming home, and wives greeting husbands a happy 'welcome home' and her mother would hear those words...her mother would often look sad and depressed. Rumors are also flying and not the good kind. Tuna-chan thought that if she would get married someday, she would make sure her husband would always come home through her cooking and not leave them for years on end without even a word. She didn't want to end up like her mother and she made her opinions clear. Her mother never cried in front of her but Tuna-fish thinks that when she's not looking, she thinks she probably does.' he sighed.

'Life like that for years changed the kid. She did all she could to be a good girl and good daughter to be distraction. She never has time for friends so her mother won't be lonely at home. She gave up teenage life and now training to be a home-maker with skills she wants to make her future husband go home.' Joichiro shook her head. 'Its a miracle she still has trust in men if a man hurt her mother by never coming home. She would never refer to him as father but 'paternal DNA Donor'. If Soma asked her with questions about her home life, she would go 'chilly' and he shuts up. Good grief. I never even knew she could be scary until hours ago when you came!'

'Ah...'

'Well, she started last year in learning the basics from me.' said Joichiro. 'Not only does she learn, she also works here as a sous chef. Not as good as my son but she's getting there. Hard worker, that one. But I see it as sad hard work.'

xxx

At a hotel, Bianchi sent information through her personal laptop connected to CEDEF.

She sent ACCURATE school records(she means reputation not school grades), life information and skills.

**NOTE:** came the footnote as she typed, **SAWADA TSUNAYOSHI HAS POTENTIAL TO BE BOSS MATERIAL FOR HER COMBAT SKILLS. KNOWLEDGE IS NEEDED AND A PROPER TUTOR MUST BE SENT IN RESPONSE TO GROOM HER AS FUTURE BOSS. BEING GROOMED TO BE A LADY IS ABSOLUTELY TOTAL WASTE. GIVEN MARRIAGE CANDIDATES, VONGOLA WOULD SOONER COLLAPSE THUS THIS GIRL MUST BE TESTED FOR POTENTIAL AS BOSS.**

She sent that information to Nono, Timoteo.


	2. Two Men from Vongola

Two Men from Vongola

CEDEF...

An old man received new mail from Bianchi.

Upon reading everything...

'Oh dear...looks like we're in for a rough journey to stay on top.'

Well...there's really no suitable candidates at this point and only the blood of a Vongola can succeed. Thing is, the current generation is female so it was decided that she is to be Lady and married to a suitable man who would regent the Vongola until they have a son, a male successor who will inherit Vongola. If only Iemitsu tried again to have a son, they wouldn't be in this mess. Surely Nana recovered enough from Tsuna's birth?

But what Bianchi sent him looks intriguing...that, and staying with her is impossible as anyone or thing related to Iemitsu sends the girl flying on a rage and as good as her in fighting with her skills led on by instinct, a much stronger tutor is necessary to deal with her anger and put up with it while training her to be better.

He decided to gamble...but problem is, candidates are now competing for the right to win his respect to be privileged to be her groom and inherit Vongola from him and battles are occurring...he wondered how they would handle this information eh? 'Humm...I'll let her develop before letting this go public.'

xxx

Since that day, Nana was nervous while Tsuna acted as if nothing happened and then a baby arrived to their home three days later.

'Hello.' he said as he came with a Fedora hat and black suit. 'I'm your Hitman Tutor, Reborn.' he dodged a knife flung at him. 'Humm...not bad at all, Bianchi wasn't kidding.'

'First a lady and now you want me to be a hitman?' Tsuna blurted incredulously before taking out meat cleavers to Nana's horror. 'I think if I kill you is that considered a 'pass'?' she asked with a scary stare in her eyes.

'If you can. I'm the world's greatest hitman despite looking like this.' Reborn chuckled.

'Ah. I'll finish breakfast first before I decide whether or not I kill you.' Tsuna smiled. 'I'll make breakfast particularly delicious today since it may be his last.' Reborn raised an eyebrow. She has the perfect attitude...when angered.

'Tsu-chan, don't say such horrible things to a baby!' Nana choked in dismay. 'Just what's going on with you?'

'Oh its just a teenage phase mom. Most kids feel like I do these days...on people who piss us off.' Reborn sweatdropped and thought, "Liar!" Nana on the other hand, meeped. She's...unfortunately naïve, which Tsuna exploited on things she wanted to get away from...like now.

'Modern kids these days are scary...'

And so...

'Here!' Tsuna chirped as she served rice bowls coated in jellied meat broth and eggs, miso soup, bite-sized braised chicken with sweet-savory sauce, vegetable stir-fry and pickles. 'Breakfast time!'

'Ohhh, I studied Japanese culture but I never heard of rice like this.' Reborn remarked thoughtfully at the jelly-coated rice and its melting on the freshly-hot-from-the-pot rice.

'Ah, it's what I learned in my apprenticeship...' Tsuna chirped cheerfully. 'Since I'm learning, I only work in breakfast times...well, enjoy since I still have to make my bento too you know.' she said as she went back to the kitchen counter with Lunch Jars nearby.

'And how come you're making two?'

'Well...I'm always late at school so I bribe the prefect into letting me in scott-free.' Reborn laughed at that. This is just perfect! Iemitsu really screwed up by relying on his wife for information instead of hiring reliable 'stalkers'. Bianchi noted that his wife, is really naïve and knew little about the daughter either...

Nana did NOT know that their daughter is capable of fighting, and has a thinking process that has great potential to be boss-worthy of Vongola and may very well become the second female boss since Daniela, Timoteo's mother.

He would spend time with the girl very well to deliver accurate reports...and enjoyed her delicious cooking.

xxx

'Nee, why are you stalking me?' Tsuna grumbled in annoyance.

'I have to watch you while tutoring you.' said Reborn. 'I heard you go to Sumiredori after school, so lunchtime is all we have, as well as 10 pm onwards to midnight. Not to mention I have to send monthly and ACCURATE reports. Your parents messed up in that regard and your teacher Saiba Joichiro was way more accurate.'

'Saiba? That's not his name.' Tsuna frowned. 'And what reports? Sending them to who?'

'Saiba is his real name but out of memory for his late wife who died from an illness when his son was a toddler, he changed his and Soma's name to Yukihira. He's famous among the wealthy elite of the world as the 'Wandering Chef' and his skills are in demand, but he wanders around, never staying in one place before going home once there's no more jobs. The Ninth even tasted his dishes when on vacation and he'll be happy to know you're learning from his favorite chef.' Reborn quipped. 'As for your situation...you're the ONLY heir to the Italian Mafia Vongola Family.'

'You've GOT to be joking!' Tsuna scoffed. 'Mom and I are ordinary women! There's no way we have foreign mafia involvement! Ridiculous!'

'Well, your bloodline isn't.' Reborn continued as he jumped to land and sit on her head. 'Originally, you are to be groomed by Bianchi to become a Lady to marry a groom chosen by the Ninth, as your father begged that you can't be the boss for your safety.' Tsuna frowned a little from that fact. 'Little did he know that being Lady is much worse, considering WHO are the candidates to be your groom who will serve as Vongola Regent until you bear a son who will be the proper heir. But Bianchi saw your potential as Boss and argued with the Ninth to plead your case. You were worth more than a baby popper and mere accessory to a regent. That's why I'm here to make you worthy for the job before you fall to this marriage game.'

'So how come I'm heir? There's another reason, is there?'

'Timoteo has three sons. But all three are killed. One is adopted but ineligible so he's still alive.' said Reborn. 'Enrico was the most qualified person and the leading candidate to inherit the title of Vongola Decimo before he was shot and killed in a gunfight. Massimo was found drowned not long after and Federico was killed by unknown means because only his bones are found.' Tsuna cringed horribly at that. 'As for Xanxus, he doesn't have the qualifications all Vongola Family members have, but he's one of your fiancée candidates. Thus your case as heir potential is to be kept secret until you're ready, so for now, you're publicly a bride and candidates are fighting over for the right to marry you when you're 18.' this made Tsuna even more horrified.

'And how old are they?!'

'Well, in their twenties...so by the time you're 18, they're still a decade older than you.' Tsuna gasped at that.

'NANIII?!'

'So take your training as heir seriously because they are men you'd never want to marry even if they're the last men on earth.'

Tsuna steeled herself.

'I'll keep that in mind.' she shivered. 'To be heir is the only way out...huh? And you better tell me more during lunch because I never heard about this!'

xxx

School...

'You're late, herbivore.' Hibari Kyoya, school prefect and delinquent drawled as Tsuna handed him his lunch which he took. 'And no babies allowed in school.'

Reborn is still on her head.

'Well, this one isn't going anywhere...if you win against him, maybe.' Tsuna smiled.

'As if this kid can win against me, Tsuna.' Reborn scoffed. This made Kyoya twitch. Arrogant baby, this one...then again, Reborn is no ordinary baby...

'Ma, don't blow him off just yet. He's famous around these parts.' and Tsuna took Reborn off her head and handed him to Kyoya before running like mad.

'S-she dare?!' Kyoya sputtered in disbelief as his lunch-maker left him the baby. 'Hey! Herbivore!' he ran after her. 'I'm not a babysitter!'

'Humm...she has balls...I like that.' Reborn chuckled, making Kyoya twitch. What the hell is this baby being not-so-baby-ish?! 'Fufu, I'll be back at lunch time.' he got away from Kyoya, ran off and left the building.

'Hey! Get back here!' Kyoya gasped out in horror, having to run after the baby and wound up being absent, as he's waaaay late for class now, having chased the baby all over the neighborhood and Reborn vanished.

Little did he know Reborn is back in school.

He's not too happy about this and Tsuna's gonna get it.

xxx

'Ah, I forgot...' Reborn mused. 'He's supposed to arrive today.'

xxx

Tsuna's classroom...

'Tenkousei wo shoukaisuru.' a phrase used scarcely by teachers when transferees come over. One came and despite the wariness in his expression, he's good-looking as thought of by girls in class. He's also somewhat-foreign.

But he's looking STRAIGHT at her by eye contact...

Italy...

Mafia...

Yep, he's here for her. Is he here to be her fiancée or a rival for the seat?

She chuckled while smiling sweetly.

He better be worth keeping.

'He's from Italy where he's been studying until now. His name is Gokudera Hayato-kun. Please take your seat.'

And so, classes began...while she pretended he didn't exist. But she knew he's watching and stalking her. And lunchtime...

Kyoya showed up, looking both cross and frantic.

'Sawada,' he said stiffly. 'We need to talk.' he grunted as Tsuna went to the door to talk.

'Ah, Reborn ran away senpai? Don't worry too much, he'll show up at lunch time.' Tsuna reassured him. 'He's one complicated baby.'

'Thanks to that brat, I. Missed. Class.' Kyoya growled. 'I. Never. Missed! Don't bring it and make me babysit ever again!'

'Like **I** need babysitting!' came the scoff as both teens looked down to see Reborn.

'YOU!' Kyoya growled as he dove to catch Reborn only for Reborn to jump, dodging him and stomped on his head. 'Gah!'

'Reborn, at this rate senpai will spend more time trying to bite you to death than eat the lunch I made.' Tsuna sighed. 'It's gonna get cold even with the Lunch Jar's heat insulating feature and let's go on the roof.' she smiled. Kyoya got up disgruntledly but not even he can deny Tsuna's talents in cooking. Because the girl took up cooking, she was late EVERYDAY and just so he wouldn't close the gates on her, she makes him lunch.

And dang, dee-lish!

Not that he'd admit that to her face, ever.

'Grrr fine. But you owe me for tarnishing my perfect record. I missed my first class chasing the damn brat.'

'Hai hai...I cook you dinner tonight at home.' Tsuna giggled as they went for the rooftop for lunch...thus Gokudera followed them in secret.

"You've gotta be kidding...she's making that guy lunch every frigging day?!" he thought jealously. What relationship did the two have, he wondered.

He's here for a purpose. And it involved her.

Juudaime-candidate is a flower according to his sister. She's cute, petite, gentle and girly thus she just could NOT see her marrying one of the brutes who aim to be Vongola Decimo who may just use, hurt and break her once the Kyudaime isn't looking. She pled and argued her case to Kyudaime and given the unknown revelation, she has what it takes if tweaked right. Heck, she even got the family trait of Hyper Intuition long before knowing the existence of the Flames when normally, it only awakens once a Vongola has access to the flames. In her case...it was there ages ago, which she uses in lotteries and her cooking.

Thus her potential must be groomed as the Hyper Intuition is worth more than those.

His job? Was to test her and see for his own eyes.

So he followed her to the rooftop, paying attention to future Juudaime.

He noticed that she knew she's being followed. The guy also knew judging by their body language.

Interesting!

And so...the Rooftop...

'You can come out now, Signor Gokudera.' Tsuna called out as Kyoya wondered how she knew their stalker. 'You came from Italy because of me, right?'

'Yeah.' said Gokudera. 'I was informed that information about you turned out to be hilariously inaccurate so I have come to see the future Juudaime with my own eyes.' he said as he took out a cigarette and lit it with his lighter and had to evade Kyoya, aiming to snatch his cancer stick.

'No smoking on the school grounds!'

'Kyoya-senpai...please let me.' Tsuna asked Kyoya. 'This is sadly, my business. Reborn.' she glanced at her tutor.

'He is Bianchi's younger brother and a Juudaime fiancée candidate too.' said Reborn. 'But right now, only he knows about your developments and new circumstance. Others cannot be trusted.'

'Just what in blazes is going on here?!' Kyoya demanded hotly but was ignored by the others, as he noted that the air around his lunch-maker changed.

She went from Herbivore to Carnivore. Something nobody will EVER expect from a frail-looking thing like her.

She emitted her malice that got even him nervous. And her expressive eyes narrowed to that, befitting of a fighter.

OK, his opinion of her went up a notch...and she and the transfer student fought on the roof...and he's impressed. Her fighting style is rather unusual though. Her style was based on dance because that's what he clearly sees. And the transfer isn't so bad. And he's using DYNAMITE Kyoya knew could inflict great property damage, he looked READY to kill the transfer but Tsuna grabs the wicks with her fingers, turning off the flames that consumes to prevent explosion and she's fast. Kyoya would never have thought of this as explosions will certainly ensue as he would focus more on biting the fool to death, assuming both aren't blown-up first!

'Ufufufu...the future Juudaime is more interesting than I thought...' Reborn chuckled. 'Making her stronger will be easy on me.'

At this, Kyoya watched. Hearing the words Juudaime three times now. Sawada is 'the tenth' but for what? And this dude came all the way from Italy just to test her? Really now?!

Gokudera is defeated, having run out of bombs to use.

'J-Juudaime-hime-sama...I lost...please command me to do anything!' Gokudera exclaimed in utter worship-mode to her shock.

'Eh?!'

'The rules of the Mafia is that losers must serve the winner.' said Reborn and Kyoya gaped at the baby. Mafia?! 'Congratulations on gaining your first subordinate, Tsuna.'

'I think I need those lessons NOW Reborn!' Tsuna choked in disbelief. 'The basics, please?!'

And so...

'So you pledge your life to me from now on huh?' Tsuna inwardly cringed at having someone completely submissive to her and it SCARED her somewhat. 'But I have my rules too, Gokudera-kun.' she said as she took out an old, worn notepad and gave it to him. 'You rely too much on bombs! What if what happened today happened in worser situations?! And what if someone used the same tactic I did or just chucked your bombs right back at you? At this rate you have the shortest lifespan as my subordinate!' Gokudera balked horribly and she handed him the notepad. 'Follow these everyday after school and after homework, and I'll be sure to have mama cook you healthy dinners from now on and Reborn will make sure you do absolutely everything in there. I'm responsible for breakfast and lunch so I'll also make them just as healthy.'

'Yes!'

'Er Tsuna, I'm supposed to train you?' Reborn blinked. Why is he being made to train someone else...?

'Whip him into shape first, then train us together when his physical condition improves. Oh, and as a man, those regimes and weights are doubled.' said Tsuna sternly. 'That's my first order as well-being of my subordinates comes first before anything about the mafia! That's my rule if anyone is to follow me! Oh, and you two will be sharing the guest room in my house.'

Kyoya knew they completely forgot about him.

Again!

xxx

'So Reborn, where is Juudaime going? To her apprenticeship?' Gokudera asked Reborn as they went to his hotel to check out to do his first order from his boss.

'Yep. She's dead serious about her apprenticeship thus forced herself to do what's in the notepad to get stronger. And your menu is doubled or tripled depending on your resolve.'

'I'll definitely triple this!' Gokudera swore. 'I aim to be her right-hand man!' he cried in determination.

'Ohoho...spirited one are we? She definitely got lucky with you. Just be sure you can hold onto that.'


	3. Suicidal Schoolmate

Suicidal Schoolmate

Being a smoker as he uses cigarettes to light up his dynamites...

Gokudera discovered how hard this can be.

Reborn told him that Tsuna did all this since she was a child, with the weights increasing as she got older, and then following the CDs to a tee. And as a 14 year old boy, Reborn had to 'obtain' appropriate training weights to train a young Mafioso. Reborn also tested Tsuna's limits as a 13 year old and she too, trained when Reborn informed her Cooking Teacher that she will 'train' to be a family successor thus all lessons she needs from him must be videotaped for her to do at home with the Vongola paying for the expenses of videotaping her lessons.

Joichiro shuddered as his young apprentice turned out to be heiress to an Italian Mafia Family. That, and he remembered working for a man named Timoteo once as the guy had important clients coming over for dinner...he had no idea he once cooked for the Mafia and chills went down his spine. He's pretty sure the man will keep an eye on him as his 'favorite chef' is teaching his heiress. Said heiress didn't have a clue until recently and is now shouldering the mafia on her tiny shoulders.

Talk about pressure...

Tsuna also took to cooking healthy breakfasts and bentos as Gokudera, being a smoker, has toxins in his body and the lunches are made in a way to increase and stimulate appetite and expel said toxins, besides sweating it off every after school, and its Nana's job to cook dinner recipes she herself created...and Gokudera is made to eat until he's stuffed, as Tsuna noted he's skinny for a boy his age. Then warm baths to relax his muscles after hard work.

When asked why he's so skinny, he isn't eating well...given Bianchi's ability...

Her cooking is deadly to ANYONE but herself, so Gokudera tends to eat snacks he buys off stores, and MRE's.

Tsuna's really earned Gokudera's loyalty as she took good care of him and with the atmosphere of her house, he was able to be a normal boy.

While Gokudera is physically improving himself, Tsuna is improving her fighting skills under Reborn. As because she is the boss, she must be the best fighter in the family. And since he's the world's strongest assassin, he could train her well with her speed, agility, reflexes and timing which will do wonders, combined with her Hyper Intuition. He's 'teaching' her body to catch up to her intuition to be at the level of the men competing for her and even better than that.

That, and Reborn forced her to stop being a Wallflower, holding back and excel in school under threat of death. As Leader, she must set an example. Heck, despite Gokudera's teenage-rebel look, he scored 100 in a MATH quiz! So she was forced to go all out too.

It has been two weeks, since Gokudera became her subordinate thus.

'Hey ojousama, why are you holding back in school when you're clearly capable of acing the quizzes too?' Gokudera asked Tsuna curiously. She effortlessly aced the same Math Quiz after Reborn threatened her.

'Well, I don't like too much attention, Gokudera.' said Tsuna. 'In teenage life outside your Mafioso world, there's what we call 'social stereotyping'.' she said. 'If you have both good looks and good grades, you'll be so popular everyone has their eyes on you and those who are weak, but have no shame latch onto you like some parasite to climb up social ladder in order to be popular too and slowly sap off your energy from exhaustion to maintain such an image.' she told him. 'Hibari-senpai's popular but due to how scary he is so he's comfortably left alone free to be himself. You're also popular being a good-looking foreigner with great grades but you have to be careful due to what we are. And now, so do I. We are Mafioso. We can't let ourselves be highlighted by social stereotyping by simple-minded teenagers.'

'You're teenagers too you know.' Reborn deadpanned.

'I was never one.' said Tsuna coolly. Gokudera winced. His sister was particularly vocal on that part. The boss denied herself that life to keep her lonely mother happy by being a good daughter. She has no social life at all. Then again, who was Gokudera to talk? He also had no time to be a kid, focusing more on finding a place to belong!

'T-then, how about when we have free time, we do what teenagers do?' Gokudera suggested.

'Like what?'

'Er...going to the mall, amusement park, vacations, stuff like those? Oh, and dating boys and girls we like...isn't that what teenagers do?' Gokudera pointed out hastily.

'I...don't know...' Tsuna frowned. 'I've never done any of those bar shopping for clothes...but I can't leave mother just yet for that kind of life.' she said. 'I just can't.' she said softly. 'If that man thought work was more important than family...mother should have just divorced him and find herself a man who would make her happy. I just can't stand this.' she sighed. 'But mom's naïve. Painfully naïve. I just wish she'd have a backbone and be done with it. Or did he marry her and have a kid just so the Vongola Bloodline continues? I don't know anymore.'

'Ojousama...'

At school...

Tsuna froze upon stepping into their school.

'Ojousama?' Gokudera paused.

'...Gokudera, I have a strong need to go to the roof on Study Period.' said Tsuna, looking nervous. 'We have to be there first...got that?'

'Did you feel something about your intuition, ojousama?' Gokudera asked her. His sister said that her intuition was an unusual case...

'Aa. And not the good kind.' Tsuna shivered. 'Hibari-senpai,' she told Hibari. 'At Study Period...please keep an eye on the rooftop from the school grounds.' she pleaded. 'Just this once and I'll make you dinner! Catch what's coming!'

'What're you talking about?!'

'Please!' seeing the urgency and frantic worry on her face, he sighed.

'Fine. But you owe me big.' he relented. There was more to his lunch-maker. Heiress to an Italian mafia family, she could actually fight despite explosives and fast enough to put out wicks before anything explodes and she took her situation rather well.

'Thanks!' Tsuna smiled. 'We better get ready...and I want to beat the idiot who made my instinct hurl...'

xxx

Study Period...

Tsuna and Gokudera subtly left class in their own way...before rushing to the roof and waited.

Soon, a boy came and sent Tsuna's warning bells on alarm.

'It's him.' she whispered as the boy slowly approached the frail rails of the rooftop and was deliberately leaning forward.

'Just what do you think you're doing, idiot?!' Gokudera yelled, startling the boy who Tsuna recognized as the popular baseball star Yamamoto Takeshi as she lunged to lock the door as she could hear unwanted footsteps come.

'Well...I'm just tired, you know?' said Takeshi wearily with a forced smile. 'I have nothing left now...the baseball god threw me away.'

'But didn't you win the tournament?' Gokudera sputtered out.

'Yeah...I won...but I heard some things that shattered my world.' Takeshi chuckled bitterly. 'I thought I had friends...I thought we're a team...' his expression turned to grief. 'I dedicated my life to baseball because everyone was counting on me and then my school grades are starting to fall...I tried to catch up but its just too much.'

'I see...come here, Yamamoto-san.' Tsuna ordered with a dark air about her that made Gokudera gulp. She's mad. 'What exactly...did you hear?'

'Oh, I can help.' said Reborn as he appeared out of nowhere and took out a recorder...that explained why Takeshi meant his world was 'shattered'. In a loud volume at that.

His teammates talked behind his back badly, and clearly are using him. Takeshi looked hurt hearing that for a second time and reeled as if struck.

'See what I mean?' he said in a broken voice. 'I didn't realize I was all alone...and all that for nothing, eh?' he choked out. 'I was all alone.'

'You're not all alone...you have your family at home right?' Tsuna asked him. 'Moreover who needs your team anyway? You can ditch them like how they ditched you into committing suicide. You have to be the better man among that petty bunch. You worked hard for the school's sports prestige. That's all you. Everyone aside from 8 losers adore you. Can't you see that? If you die now, what will your family do? What will they think if they learn that their son committed suicide because of baseball and his teammates?! Think of your family whom you'll leave behind! Our families are always there! You're not alone! You can always find better friends! There's no 'I' in a team or a group of friends, there's a 'We' in it. All of us have our flaws and a good, united team cover each other! Apparently your failure for teammates never caught onto that when the baseball team was formed!' she grunted as Gokudera pulled Takeshi towards his young miss.

'Whoa hey, don't push me!' Takeshi gasped out while wincing. "And since when is this guy this strong?!"

'Ojousama, what should he do so he won't do something as stupid as this ever again?' Gokudera asked Tsuna while Takeshi did a double-take. The somewhat-foreign guy called her ojousama!

'Well, I would want him to move on and change his life.' said Tsuna kindly as she reached for Takeshi's cheek and caressed it, causing the boy to blush. 'And find himself good friends who would and could heal him from this betrayal. It would also help if you talked about this to your family, Yamamoto-san.'

'E-eh? And tell my pops I tried to end my life?!' Takeshi squeaked out. 'He'll kick my ass!'

'You deserve it, moron.' Gokudera grumbled. 'Don't end your life for a bunch of ungrateful leech pricks, they're not worth you dying for!'

'Um...OK...t-thanks...' Takeshi deflated.

'Reborn. Tell Hibari-senpai crisis averted.' Tsuna smiled. 'And explain the situation.'

'Alright.' and Reborn jumped off the rails.

'Wha?! That baby just did what I was gonna do!' Takeshi cried in horror as he saw Reborn jump off.

'Don't worry, Hibari-senpai has a trampoline over an inflatable mattress on my request. Reborn will be OK.' Tsuna giggled to Takeshi's disbelief. They were prepared?! 'I had an intuition that something bad will happen on the rooftop when I got to school...I had to bribe him with dinner to get ready just incase.'

Takeshi sweatdropped.

Moreover, he frowned.

It was intuition that she stayed here with her...assistant because she felt 'something bad'?

When they opened the rooftop door, his fans were all crying...

xxx

'Is it OK to leave him there, Ojousama?' Gokudera mused.

'He'll be fine now that he knew how many people care for him.' Tsuna smiled. 'He's popular after all. Good looks, friendly personality...everyone bar eight likes him. Those eight aren't important anyway.'

'Hai...'

xxx

Kyoya learned the situation from Reborn and with the recorder as evidence, he submitted it to the principal and asked that for his sanity, Yamamoto Takeshi be taken off the team and get a little PTC Meeting underway with Counselors as he didn't want a bloodbath in his school.

That, and Kyoya put Takeshi to detention for his stunt.

xxx

That night...

Tsuna invited Kyoya and Takeshi over for dinner.

'Here's tonight's special~!' Tsuna makes 'special bribe dinners' if she wants Kyoya to do some things for her.

That, and suicidal boy needed cheering up.

Today's dish is Lobsters and Curry.

'Reborn, did the liquor I ordered arrive?' Tsuna called out as she quickly prepared the spiny lobsters with somewhat-fast knife-cutting techniques without injuring herself. Not as good as Soma yet but she's getting there.

'W-whoa...she handles spiny lobsters like nothing...pops...when he tried making Lobster sashimi, he gets pricked a lot by the spines...' Takeshi gulped, wide-eyed. 'Amazing...and she's cooking for you guys?! Hot damn!'

'...she's late everyday so she makes me lunch.' said Kyoya with a snort. 'Now her subordinate is as late as she is.'

'I live here on her insistence.' said Gokudera with a dreamy drool, dreaming of food. 'And I regret nothing!'

'It arrived, don't worry!' Reborn called out.

'Here they are sweetie...you ordered some red wine and brandy for cooking, right?' Nana chimed as the boys stared at Tsuna in disbelief as she got the brandy from her mother. WHO uses liquor in cooking? She does! The curry she made with various spices and seafood...it has a strong, powerful smell that assaulted their noses that made everyone in the house gulp and drool.

"T-this smell..." Nana gulped while anticipating the dish. Her daughter's apprenticeship is definitely worth it! Its like they have access to Restaurant Yukihira Every. Single. Day!

"I want it..." Kyoya shook while hiding the fact he was looking forward to it with a miserably-failing stoic face.

"I wonder how it'll turn out...I've never had curry like this!" Takeshi thought with a gulp. Japanese Curry isn't made of spices like how she makes it. Its made of tasty factory-made roux cubes that are put in hot water to make the creamy roux sauce after boiling meat, potatoes and carrots to add to the flavor.

But this curry is made of spices. Pure spices, herbs, and lobster. REAL Curry.

Soon...it was a beautiful dish. The Lobster's red and the saffron roux's yellow contrasted beautifully.

'By the way guys...' she chirped as she took out six droppers filled with liquor. 'Before you finish everything, put some drops on the lobster brains, then suck it out and put some curry rice in your mouth...you're gonna love it.'

Everyone gulped audibly. They ate the incredibly delicious curry that made them hallucinate a forest due to the fragrant woody aroma.

'D-delicious!' Takeshi gasped out. 'This curry is so good, it makes me wonder about the last part!' he choked out as the others dove into their food with sheer gusto, and Tsuna is the only one not going nuts from her own cooking.

Her cooking even broke _Hibari Kyoya_ into losing his composure thus he was nicer to her these days...

Upon saving the best for last...

Putting brandy on the lobster brains, sucking it out and stuffing their cheeks with the curry rice...it was the final blow, being taken to delicious gourmet heaven.

'Ohhhhh/Hyaaaah!' her mother and the boys MOANED in sheer ecstatic delight as the flavors blend deliciously.

'Aiya...I think I overdid it.' Tsuna giggled while enjoying her food normally.

"At this rate, she'll gain subordinates through their stomachs." Reborn thought wryly, while still reeling from the experience, gasping for air. He can already SEE who will be her guardians.

'Be my wife, Sawada-chaaan...' Takeshi sighed in dreamy bliss.

'A lot of people WILL kill you for thinking those unsacred thoughts, retard.' Gokudera snorted. Yep, the men aiming for Tsuna's hand in marriage are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MEN.

In two days, that PTC was held...

xxx

'So your old man gave you one hell of a can of whoop-ass for your stunt?' Gokudera asked Takeshi as they met at the rooftop.

'Yeah. On recommendation, I was taken off the team too.' said Takeshi while slightly shaking. 'I guess its for the best...I gained something better in the end!' he said with a smile.

Well, two days before the 'dreaded', he was hanging out with them at lunch, even following them to the house...and saw Gokudera's rigorous training and decided to do the same in the event he goes back to baseball in High School. He asked where to purchase the training gear, only to find the stuff delivered to his house the next day.

Thing is, he did NOT expect to see Tsuna dodging a strange baby's assaults, clearly training to fight. The heck is going on in this house?!

Thing is, nobody would tell him WHY.

Gokudera gives him a warning glare, Tsuna smiles sweetly...TOO sweetly...so he shut up.

'Ohya? What's that something better?' Tsuna asked him jovially.

'My dad not only gave me a can of whoop-ass, he also berated me in how to choose friends...and I decided you guys are it!' Takeshi chimed. 'Pleased to meet you!'

"E-EHHHHH?!'


	4. Summer Cooking?

Summer Cooking?

'Good grief, this is harder than it looks...' Takeshi wheezed as up in his room...as he was doing what Gokudera was doing.

'Just what on earth are you doing anyway Takeshi? That looks pretty rough!' his father, Tsuyoshi exclaimed.

'Datte, my new friends are into this!' Takeshi exclaimed. 'Gokudera's doing triple and Sawada-chan is learning martial arts and dang, she's really good and cool! She's also a very great gourmet cook!' he babbled on excitedly. 'I jokingly said she should be my wife but Gokudera said a lot of people will kill me for that remark...wonder why?'

'She probably has a fanbase just like you.' Tsuyoshi chuckled.

'Probably...she even tamed the scary school prefect with her magic cooking, lucky bastard has homemade lunch from her as a bribe since she's always late!' Takeshi moaned at the unfairness of it all.

xxx

'He has GOT to be kidding...' Tsuna choked out as she reeled from Reborn's decision of making Takeshi a family member. 'Has being a baby made him lose some brain cells?!'

'I agree, he's an ordinary civilian, not of mafia background...I think he drank too much wine last night.' Gokudera twitched in annoyance.

'Maybe he ordered some drinks for himself when I requested cooking wine and brandy off Vongola Finances.' Tsuna sighed. 'Lucky me the Ninth is willing to send me those or some recipes I made can't be cooked...and lucky me the guy teaching me happens to be his favorite chef. Isn't that coincidental?'

'Maybe its just family fate at work ojousama!' Gokudera laughed jovially.

'Ahaha, probably! I hope the ninth won't scare ojisan too much...'

Not long after that, they had to deal with a child trying to kill Reborn...and wound up becoming a new house guest. Fortunately for Gokudera and Reborn, he wanted to be with Tsuna in her room and a child was very much welcome and Nana already adores him.

Summer...

'Humm...' Tsuna mused thoughtfully.

'What is it, ojousama?' Gokudera asked her as summer was FULL TRAINING MODE from after breakfast to sundown thus Nana's the one cooking.

'Its probably the Friendship and Rapport Training at Tootsuki right now...I'm worried about Soma-chan.' Tsuna chuckled. 'That's what they call the training camp when in reality, it's a training-from-hell camp wherein students who fail to meet standards are immediately expelled!' she shuddered. 'Well, if he survives this summer I'll send him a vacation I'll win at some lottery~!'

'How about winning that for us?' Gokudera deadpanned.

'When we finish our menus, we can go. For me getting vacations for free is easy as pie!' Tsuna grinned. 'Now I just have to ask Reborn where he is in Tootsuki so I can send mail there...let's go win some lotteries after a shower!'

'Hai!'

They won money, materialistic prizes they can simply shop for themselves, tickets to concerts and many more until they got vacations.

Gokudera could NOT believe how lucky she is in these things...

xxx

Tootsuki...

'Jeez, really now, they must be the only teachers who gets paid with lavish vacations in return for tutelage.' Reborn snorted as he went to gather information at the school's computers by hacking. 'Then again, she's lucky with lotteries...aha, found him. Polar Star Dormitory...well, my job is done.' and he erased his tracks before leaving.

xxx

And so...

'Big place...as expected of a school I hope to get into someday!' Tsuna lit up in anticipation as she went inside, wearing her best summer dress. 'Now then, time to follow my instincts~!' she skipped into the school, making a beeline for Polar Star Dormitory. She felt something good happening...it was a cooking contest between father and son.

Grinning, she watched...and Soma was the first to finish, making an Apple Risotto. Then Joichiro made...Ramen.

She sweatdropped.

Ramen is too heavy for mornings...what is he thinking?

'Ooy! I made one for you too!' Joichiro called out. 'Come out, little watcher!'

'Huh? it's just us here pops!' Soma pointed out.

'Not quite!' Tsuna startled the others by popping her head into the window from outside.

'Sawada-chan!/Tuna-chan!' father and son exclaimed as Tsuna climbed on the window to get inside. The others noted she's just as petite as their female housemate. Same hairstyle too if not for her spiky top.

'Hehe...congratulations surviving the Cruel Training Cook-or-Die Training Camp, Soma-chan!' Tsuna chimed cheerfully making everyone else sweatdrop. 'I came here with a vacation gift!'

'V-Vacation gift?!' Daimidou Fumio sputtered out. 'Who gives away vacations?!'

'She does.' said Joichiro jovially. 'She's really lucky with lotteries and its how she pays us for her apprenticeship. Her vacations are the luxurious kind too!'

'EHHHH?!'

'It's for ten people so invite who you like Soma-chan!' Tsuna chirped as if no one's talking, giving the pamphlet package to Soma who stared wide-eyed at the new vacation. 'And did you really cook for me too ojisan?!' Tsuna went sparkly-starry-eyed, complete with clasped hands.

'Haha, I knew you were there so why not?' Joichiro grinned. 'Dig in guys!'

'Waaai!'

'So how do you spend your summer Sawada-chan? Are you on vacation too?' Soma asked his long-time friend who took her first slurp of ramen.

'Nuh-uh, I have training too.' said Tsuna before her expression went dreamy. 'Ahhhh...I feel good warmth in the morning...'

'Yeah...my body is getting warmer...' the sleepy girl beside her sighed in bliss.

'That's the effect of the Layou, Ginger and Garlic.' said Isshiki thoughtfully. 'The soy milk's mellowness softens that stimulation and slowly warms up the body...'

'The toppings are also a display of tenderness.' Fumio smiled. 'The Lotus Root and Burdock slices are fried crisply and colorfully, the Carrots and Turnips are grilled on charcoal fire until they were slightly burnt and seasoned with rock salt. It brings out the ingredients' sweetness...'

'Just like the garnish on French food, every ingredient was prepared just the right way to add depth to the flavor and the prominent piece is this weird square thingy!' Tsuna exclaimed before taking another bite.

'That's 'Tempeh', Tuna-fish.' Joichiro chuckled. 'Its a fermented food native to Indonesia made from soybeans.' he told her. 'The soybeans are put inside hibiscus or banana leaves and left to ferment using Tempeh culture which contains fungus spores.' he explained. 'It has a 400 year history.'

'Ahhh...even though its light and crunchy it feels voluminous...' they then slurped the soup...

Souma lost to Jouichirou's ramen.

xxx

'Ah~! You lost to ojisan again huh? I remember that before school year started, you were at 470 but while I was gone it went to 490...' Soma curled up in a depressed corner of woe. 'Maa maa...he's two decades and some older than you...he's wiser and more experienced, so don't beat yourself up too much.'

'Yeah but I wanna win at least once, you know?' Soma sighed. 'So today's day off from training eh?'

'Yeah. My tutor is a real piece of work.' Tsuna chuckled while Soma inwardly cringed.

He learned from his dad that Tsuna turned out to be an Italian mafia heiress...the bomb also shocked the girl and is being groomed to be the tenth boss. But since she still wants to study, lessons are videotaped for her use so she no longer comes and videotaping expenses are not only paid for, his pops is paid 20 grand per week. 'T-training?'

'Yeah...physical training that's nastier than the one ojisan gave me, self-defense...stuff.' Tsuna shuddered. 'If I live to be in my twenties I'll be thankful.'

'Stay strong Sawada-chan, stay strong...' Soma patted her back soothingly. 'Can you still be a chef?'

'Since I'm...boss...I can only cook for my family now but that's not so bad.' Tsuna smiled. 'I can still cook! They love my cooking! At this rate I'll gain my subordinates through their stomachs!' she said cheerfully.

'That's the spirit!' Soma laughed. 'Well I'll show you around...what I know of Tootsuki at least, this place is freaking huge...heck, you're wearing roller skates!' he pointed out blatantly, pointing at her feet.

Tsuna laughed.

'Always be prepared, that's what my tutor taught me!' Soma couldn't just picture his cute kohai to be a mafia boss, he feared for her safety and sanity...

He showed her around Tootsuki's facilities and grounds...and showed her in! She was amazed by the top-notch facilities and utilities and...she blatantly challenged every RS just for fun!

She has balls...

And she won all those challenges against club presidents...she even won against Nikumi! The RS of many types of cuisines, she's defeated. She was a genius in her own way, led by her intuition that never failed her not even once.

'That was fun!' Tsuna chimed. 'They're really good opponents but I got the chance to shine!'

That was the day of Darkness of Tootsuki.

An unknown girl friends with the provocative transfer student defeated all presidents of many RS in school.

The name Sawada Tsunayoshi became famous, and word of her name reached many teachers and eventually, the higher hierarchy of the academy.

xxx

'Yukihira-kun, I heard your friend challenged all the school's RS.' Isshiki Satoshi talked to Soma over dinnertime. 'Everyone's talking about it.'

'Well...I showed her around, she got bored and wanted to see the power of Tootsuki so yeah, she's got the nerves to challenge every president,' said Soma sheepishly. 'She won everything, I can't believe she grew up in just a year and half! I hope nobody's too mad for losing to a 13 year old...'

'She's 13?!' Isshiki gasped in astonishment, impressed. As expected of those under an OB Elite...

'Yeah, a year and half my junior, why?' Soma blinked. 'Sawada-chan apprenticed under my dad...and she's an Instinctual Chef and her style is Instinct Cooking. She knows what to do on gut feeling alone she could cook great meals even if she's not on our level in regards to speedy foodstuff preparations. She's still slow but working on it.' he chuckled. 'She hopes to be here someday, Isshiki-senpai. Well...assuming her family lets her...'

Isshiki noted his kouhai's air of mysteriousness as he said that.

Its as if...his friend has something BIG.

'Well, how about you make her come here again tomorrow? I want to see her cook.' Isshiki told him. 'Around lunch time. The theme can be anything. I want to see with my own eyes.'

'Eh sure...assuming her tutor lets her out...I'm not promising anything.'

'Eh? Tutor? For what?'

'...business management. She just recently learned she's heiress so she's working hard. Freaked out at first though, poor kid.' Soma was glad he could say stuff other than stuff related to Mafia...

xxx

'Ehhh? Your senpai wants me to cook for your dorm at lunch time?' Tsuna asked incredulously while making dinner. 'Sure, I managed to buy a time off. This oughta be fun, cooking for an Elite Ten this time! I'll be bringing everyone along!'

Soma choked.

/Er...your subordinates aren't scary, right?/

'Goodness no! Overprotective yes but scary? No.' Tsuna giggled. 'Just don't look at me wrong they won't attack...maybe.'

/Hiiii!/

xxx

Soma shuddered as he put the phone down.

'You look spooked.' Fumio commented as Soma turned nervously to his housemates.

'Eto ne, Sawada-chan is kinda like a much-more confident, but cutely childishly playful version of Tadokoro-chan...but she's heiress for a particularly scary family she learned recently about. She has bodyguards.' said Soma. 'Do not look at her wrong or all hell will break loose.' he warned grimly, his expression in fear.

'You make it sound like she's from a Yakuza or Mafia or something!' Yoshino Yuuki joked...but none of them missed their housemates' horrible flinch. 'Er...which one?'

'Number 2.'

Silence...

'How on earth did a girl like that become mafia heiress?' Sakaki Ryouko asked incredulously. 'The others said she's so adorable and sweet!'

'She didn't _have_ a choice.' said Soma wryly. 'Her predecessor had three sons. One was shot, second was drowned, third, they found only bones.' his housemates went sheet-white from horror. 'And Sawada-chan, a VERY distant relative is the last eligible heir is a girl so she was originally slated to be Lady and marry a man who has her predecessor's approval. But upon knowing what kind of men these guys are, she wants to fight to be heir since they're men no sane girl would want to marry even under threat of human extinction in the midst of Terminator-world apocalypse.' he said wryly. His choice of words made everyone understand how bad it was. 'And they're a decade older than her and a future with any of these guys is a nightmare. So she's fighting for freedom by being heir and she somehow won subordinates over with her cooking...I worry for her a lot ever since pops told me why she can't come to our shop anymore and he sends videotape lessons paid for by family.'

'Poor kid...both are evil and she chose the lesser evil...well, don't we all do that when faced with crappy choices?' Marui Zenji said wryly. 'We'd know that best too.'

'But still...with a life like that and still manages to defeat various RS Presidents and Nikumi...and she's doing it on instinct? Wow.'

'She said tomorrow's food is Chinese.' Soma chirped. 'So let's stock up the pantry befitting of Chinese cuisine so she won't have trouble...and get her bodyguards on our asses. How about after this, we enjoy the vacation to this luxurious hot springs resort she sent me? There's room for ten people and that's the whole dorm...'

Everyone scrambled in speeds that left the Dorm Head impressed.

xxx

Next day...

'This is the school you aim for Tsuna?' Takeshi asked her. 'Big fancy place!' he exclaimed as they looked around. 'No wonder you want us to dress sharp!' indeed, they are well-dressed and groomed. But Gokudera is allowed his dynamites as long as he's responsible and keeps them well-hidden, while Takeshi can easily bring his baseball bat...but Reborn got him a special type of bat that acted as a shikomizue...that hid a katana with the bat being a material that can get away from metal detectors. At first, Takeshi was spooked at having a REAL weapon and Reborn somehow managed to make his dad...yes, his dad teach him his sword style. So now he carries his weapon around with no one the wiser.

'Yeah but a ruthless one...sure, in middle school its normal cuisine education but come high school...the jewel selection begins.' Tsuna told him. 'Those who fail to meet standards are expelled. Mercilessly. Soma-chan told me about the director's opening ceremony speech...99% of the students are stepping stones for the 1% who gets lucky to graduate.'

'And you want to be here?!' came the incredulous question.

'I'll survive...I just defeated all RS Presidents out of boredom yesterday and I think I traumatized their prides...I mean, a high schooler got beat by a middle schooler barely into adolescence...' Tsuna chuckled. 'I cemented my presence pretty much so I have no worries!'

'That's ojousama for you!' Gokudera beamed proudly. 'She conquered a whole school!'

'Er not exactly...the RS Presidents are along my level but I never saw the strongest guys in the Academy.' Tsuna sighed. 'I know where they are but security is ridiculous, I can't go in casually.' she pouted. 'Its like, the best guys are protected by security that's Pentagon-worthy! Oh well, I'll get what I can get.'

'Is Hibari-senpai coming? You gave him a call right?' Takeshi asked her.

'He said the Momokyokai Yakuza are stirring trouble again and he wants to bite them to death.' said Tsuna. 'Hibari-senpai doesn't like anyone marring his territory. So he'd be a bit late.'

xxx

Polar Star Dormitory...

'Ohayou, Soma-chan!' Tsuna greeted with a chirp as the Polar Star looked nervous as the boys wore clothes befitting of mafia members. 'So is the pantry ready for me?'

'Yeah, we got it all ready last night!' Soma told her. 'So what are you gonna make?'

'Humm...this and that...I'm not good with names.' said Tsuna. 'But I know what Chinese food is at least.' she chuckled, taking out her cooking utensils. 'Shall we play?'

'Ojousama, do you have Hibari-senpai's phone number? He really shouldn't be late, you rarely cook Chinese!' Gokudera drooled shamelessly complete with the fanboy starry-eyes. Tsuna giggled.

'Oh, he's right behind you.' she said.

'EHHH?!' they all turned to see a good-looking yet stern-looking man armed with heavily scratched tonfas climb into the window.

Kyoya became her guardian despite his dislike of crowds. He is a violent delinquent who leads the Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee who uses his status to harass other students who see him as very scary and cares very little for people. He has full confidence in his own strength and power, and dislike to work together with anybody due to feeling bind and restrained, making him refuse or won't easily take suggestions from others into consideration.

How he became Guardian? Tsuna got on his somewhat-good side, making him lunches and occasional dinners thus she was able to bribe him for favors...and when she got involved with the mafia, obtaining Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi as her Guardians, Kyoya was on her list...and gained his respect by beating him in an all-out battle using only her fists and personal fighting style inspired through dance and gymnastics. Upon his defeat, Tsuna asked him if he could be her Guardian and knowing his personality, he could do things his own way when she calls him. A deal that suited Kyoya just fine since he does things his own way. That, and he always gets delicious food from her and more training from her tutor to be stronger. Not a bad deal at all.

'Whoa, she guessed right!' Takeshi squawked out.

'Just in time, Hibari-senpai.' Tsuna smiled at the older boy.

'Hn. I had to take the trash out.' he said with a slight blush despite his usual expression. Gokudera and Takeshi shivered.

"You don't call people 'trash'!" they thought in horror.

'Oh, Reborn-sensei sent you new training equipment and menu, don't forget~' Kyoya merely nodded as their boss took action.

'Chinese Cuisine...how many will you make?' Fumio asked her.

'Well, enough to feed everyone present but with a twist, some dim sum, and of course, dessert!' needless to say, she got busy. Very busy.

'Oh man, I'm drooling already...' Takeshi gulped as he stood up. 'Food for all...we need longer tables! She's definitely not kidding!'

'Right, we better move it!' they scrambled to get long tables...and when they were out, Tsuna...took a shot from a Dying Will Bullet from Reborn from afar just so she could prepare the ingredients at incredible speeds so all she had to worry later on, was cooking.

Good thing for Dying Wills...

Soon...

The tables are filled with food sure enough. There's noodles, mapo tofu, fried rice, dim sum, and soup dishes. Even dessert.

And all are drool-worthy.

Interestingly enough, everyone has an arranged portion per individual. AND in Japanese Portions.

'OK! I'll elaborate a bit...this one is what I'd call 'noodles but not noodles' made entirely of seafood with nicely diced dried seaweed topping, my personal Szechuan Panda Mapo Tofu, Stimulating Fried Rice made of spices and umeboshi, a Golden Prank Smiley Steam Buns and Medicinal Congee. For Dessert I made Fruity Berry Mantou with fruit pulp, condensed milk and honey. Traditional stuff is boring me so I made things differently!'

'...Prank?' Ibusaki Shun blinked as they looked at the buns with a 'mouth slit'.

'Take one and tap them with a little pressure.' they did...and what happened next freaked them out.

The buns jiggled while making a laughing sound.

'WHOA?!'

'H-how?!' Fumio sputtered out, wide-eyed in disbelief as the buns continued laughing.

'Not telling...it's a technique involving frying to make the impossible possible.' Tsuna laughed. 'Don't worry, it's tasty!'

'But how to shut them up?!' Kyoya demanded, freaked out at the LAUGHING food.

'Oh, let them run out of steam and they'll shut up.' seconds later, the buns went quiet.

'Well...wow...' Soma's eyes bulged. 'We'll know how its done when we eat it...right guys?' he asked his dormmates who nervously ate the steamed bun first.

'Yosh...we'll solve the mystery of these laughing buns in one bite!' Fumio declared as the chefs took a bite while the mafia boys preferred to watch and wait, wanting answers.

'A perfectly round laughing bun with a crack...its clearly fried at a high temperature but normally, the flavor of the filling will leech out of the crack leaving nothing but a shriveled husk...I can't wait!' Isshiki beamed as they took a bite...and a lot of tasty sauce came out. 'Wah!'

'S-so-much sauce...and it's delicious! Not too strong but it has a very deep nice and fresh flavor!' Soma gasped out. At this, the mafia boys took a bite too and da-yum...juicy!

'Umeee! It's so good!'

'So that's how you did it, Sawada-chan...' Isshiki smiled. 'What a delicious and fun bun. I figured out the mystery.'

'You figured it out...as expected of an Elite Ten Council Member, Isshiki-san.' Tsuna smiled.

'Heheh...to make a fun bun like this, you'd want the filling to remain fresh in the bun, so you used vermicelli to seal it in.' said Isshiki. 'Then you cooked the meat as a steak before dicing it and placing it in the bun to retain the beefy flavor. As for this bun...it'd be very flat so you used baking powder when making it, so when fried under pressure from high heat, the crack widens into this happy smile.' he said, pointing at the smiley crack.

'And the source of the strange laughing sound would be the cubes.' said Soma with a grin. 'There's some diced beef cubes without juice in here.' he said, opening his bun by cracking it apart. 'The oil would flood into the crack, hardening the cubes, vermicelli, and the interior walls of the bun. The crack is forced shut by the pressure, trapping the juices inside the bun.'

'The superheated juice inside the bun then expand into steam,' Isshiki continued, 'The steam causes the laughter and when tapped, the wind inside makes the cubes vibrate and jiggle, making the laughing sound as the cubes move, moved by the steam trapped in the bun. This is a novel steam bun that excites hearts.' he finished with a beaming smile.

'Hehe, because I studied Yukihira-Style cooking, I tend to experiment a lot so I have my good and bad moments just to make something new(other housemates shuddered in fear) and I wanted a gag food for a change! Ahahaha...' Tsuna laughed heartily in amusement. The entire dining hall sweatdropped.

'Its complicated it makes my head hurt.' Kyoya twitched before snorting. 'A laughing bun...Halloween isn't too far off.' he said, holding his own bun.

'Haha, a good scare this one'll make!' Takeshi laughed. 'This'll freak people out before seeing how fun it is!'

'Hehe, if only the school would have a Halloween festival I'd make gag food and scare a lot of people into hysterics, that's a prototype.' Tsuna snorted.

In a potted plant, there's a hidden camera...

xxx

'Sawada...Tsunayoshi...eh...? Interesting girl.'

xxx

'Next is these strange noodles.' said Fumio. 'They're made of something else...but I like these fish rolls.' she said as she took a bite. 'Ummm...red snapper rolls...the soup is made from just purely fish stock with a little bit of barely-there salt and spices...and these noodles are too soft, yet chewy at the same time...'

'The noodles are made of fish meat with a firm core inside.' Marui noted. 'But...how?'

'Noodles aren't noodles if not firm and elastic, but typical noodles are boring and predictable, so I made 'fake noodles' out of fish meat and cuttlefish strips.' said Tsuna. 'Then I used a load of fish bones and fish heads with rishiri konbu, soy sauce and some spices to make a deep, rich soup. It was about 7 kg worth to make that flavor and a royal pain straining them...'

'Holy...not even we would do that!' Soma sweatdropped.

'Fish and cuttlefish soup...its a rich flavor of the oceans in here...' said Ryouko appreciatively. 'I swear I have fish struggling in my mouth when eating it...this is an artwork!'

'Tasty artwork!' Yuuki chimed happily. 'And eating the fake noodles, the soup and the seaweed topping all at once in the mouth is luxury!'

'Next is my fried rice with stimulating spices and flavors so you can be able to eat the other dishes!'

'Whoaaa...it's really fragrant with a strong but deliciously appetizing smell...' Gokudera sniffed, inhaling the strong scent. They took a bite...and sure enough, everyone began wolfing down their rice bowls.

'S-so...strong...' Kyoya inhaled appreciatively. 'I already feel stimulated smelling this alone.'

'Uhhh guys? Don't forget we still have my Panda Mapo Tofu and Congee to go...' Tsuna balked as her guests were eating waaay too much...

'We have room Sawada-chan, we can make more room!' Yuuki piped up while enjoying the fried rice.

'We should start with this congee then so we have room for the tofu.' Isshiki chuckled as they tried the congee next...'Ah!'

'Its a bit different from the Congee you have me eat when I joined the family ojousama.' Gokudera blinked owlishly. 'Looks similar but tastes differently.'

'Oh, that one was for your health, Gokudera. You were waayyy too sick from Bianchi's cooking-from-yomi and you're also a smoker, you could really use some serious de-toxifying while healing your stomach walls the more you eat as days go by.' said Tsuna. 'This one on the other hand, is to let diners taste multiple flavors as their appetite increases thanks to stimulating spices, herbs and culinary fruits.'

'Oh...'

'Lastly, this no-doubt spicy mapo tofu...' Takeshi gulped as they took some from the plate full of red-orange sauce, small meat-bits and black and white tofu cubes. 'It's very sweet and savory with just the right spice...'

'But what's this weird bits...it takes like meat but its too springy to be one.'

'Guess...you're all Tootsuki students, right?' Tsuna called out teasingly. 'If you can't guess I'll give you a bi~g re~d F~!'

'Haha, Tsuna-chan's teasing now!' Takeshi smiled.

'Heh, I know what this is but I'm not telling.' Kyoya smirked while eating more.

'Eh? You know?' Gokudera blinked.

'Too easy.'

* * *

><p>A:N- This will be the last time I'll emphasize her cooking skills. I'll focus on bad-assery next.<p> 


	5. Second Semester's Athletic Meet

Second Semester's Athletic Meet

'Fuuu...it's finally second semester, ojousama.' said Gokudera as they left for school together.

'Yeah...vacation and training...how are you? I worry for you the most due to your health.' Tsuna fretted worriedly. Gokudera laughed cheerfully and flexed himself.

'With ojousama's medical cooking and Reborn's medical know-how, I'm feeling great! Please don't worry about me so much anymore!' he said reassuringly. These past months since april, his health and physique improved. He gained pronounced, strong muscles in his lean body so he was deceptively slim, but its a body worthy of the mafia and protecting his kind and caring ojousama and her maternal sweet mother. He also learned better evasion skills and hand-to-hand incase he ran out of bombs...and learn how to use improvised weaponry his eyes could lay his hands on no matter where he is. Hey, they're learning from a hitman while Takeshi is learning from his father. How Reborn convinced the Sushi Chef, NOBODY WANTED TO KNOW HOW.

'If you say so but if you need anything, just say so alright?' Tsuna asked of him. 'Everyone's well-being matters to me more than our jobs.'

'What about the aho-ushi?'

'He still needs more work since he came from a very neglectful household.' said Tsuna sadly. Lambo was ordered to assassinate Reborn, a doomed mission as his family clearly wanted to be rid of him, a child who just wanted acknowledgment. 'He's doing well but he's a long way to go. I guess mafia just aren't good with kids...I hope my time in Vongola will change that. I don't want to see kids with eyes like yours and his anymore.'

'Our...eyes?' Gokudera mused, wondering what the young miss saw.

'Your eyes are very lonely, you know?' Tsuna smiled sadly as she touched his left cheek with her right hand, causing him to blush. 'And you looked lost as if you want to find a place to call home.' Gokudera flinched. Tsuna doesn't know his history and he preferred it that way but her intuition is SCARY. 'Since staying with us you're smiling now and your eyes look happy and I like that. Lambo is also learning how to be happy thanks to mama. He now knows what its like being loved by a loving parent.'

'Its thanks to ojousama...' Gokudera blushed with a sheepish smile. Her hands are so small, warm and soft its making him blush. 'And what of Hibari-senpai and the baseball idiot?'

'Well, Hibari-senpai's closed himself off since we were in elementary school...he's a tight clam I'm working on while Yamamoto...he's way worse than you. Fake friends who only uses him for social prestige is a wound to the heart, that betrayal on Reborn's recorder he overheard the baseball team on and schoolwide pressure isn't helping matters. But his time with us since quitting baseball is healing that since we're real friends. He's learning how to really smile again and be really happy. We should work to be an ideal family first before being a mafia you know~'

'Hai!' Gokudera smiled. Anything for his ojousama!

xxx

School...Second Semester, getting into Autumn.

Things changed at school too.

Since Takeshi's attempted suicide and PTC, he quit baseball and took to hanging around the half-foreigner and the class wallflower...and in a short time, they were tightly-knit friends much to the freshmen's disbelief, particularly fans of the boys.

And attempting to harm Tsuna by jealous girls earns them warnings from said boys who have gone overprotective and utterly loyal to her...AND backed up by the scary prefect who hated anything disrupting his 'paradise' meant Tsuna was untouchable. Even without the boys, Tsuna herself is untouchable. She's scary in her own way. She smiles yet you feel fear as if its a** MONSTER looking back at you**. And since Gokudera's arrival, she stopped holding back in class. She could speak English perfectly, compared to her accented English from weeks before. Now she speaks like she lived in the west all her life.

Takeshi, who once has sinking grades because of baseball pressure jumped up rapidly with his new friends tutoring him. They were frequently seen together in school.

In P.E, Tsuna stopped holding back there too...nevermind, she's actually athletic and academically good. They became the Golden Trio of Namimori. Good looks, good grades, tightly-knit and two of them are dangerously scary. Then there's Kyoya who is somewhat protective of Tsuna too...it made everyone wonder...what the heck is going on?! Gokudera is calling her 'ojousama' even and Takeshi calls her 'Tsuna'...Yobisute much?! Kyoya on the other hand, calls her 'omnivore' so she never gets 'bitten to death'.

The centre around this mystery is one Sawada Tsunayoshi. Surrounded by three of the school's hot guys.

Now they're back.

And...WTF?

They got taller by a notch and more...developed. The boys got manlier...and same goes for the Prefect. Its like there's FOUR high schoolers in a middle school.

P.E which is Swimming?

Gokudera and Takeshi have VERY TONED AND PRONOUNCED musculature despite their slender, smooth bodies and one hell of an eight-pack and love handles that got many girls swooning dreamily with the boys wondering how the hell did they get that kind of body in a matter of MONTHS.

As for Tsuna...from 4'8 to 5'2, with a slender, just-as-toned body like that of a dancer's, with curves.

In the Sophomore Class P.E Classes...Kyoya's classmates were wondering the same thing. How did he get a body like that?! He was even more ripped than the strongest boxer in school, Sasagawa Ryohei!

He's using his new body and newfound strength for even better effective scare-submission tactics.

First week alone was a shocker.

People tried to get into that tight clique only to be driven back by peer force that they could not approach them even if they wanted to.

They could not worm their way in...somehow, the only one who could, was Kyoya and that was because he wanted to tell Tsuna that he'll be going somewhere to take out 'trashy herbivores off his turf' and Tsuna said with a smile, 'Try not to make a mess too much and come home without a scratch!' WTF?!

Namimori Middle School wondered if there's a conspiracy going on. Seriously.

Since WHEN does Kyoya ask Tsuna for 'leave permission' when he does everything with no need for one?!

'Ah~! All we did is just change and everyone thinks we're replaced by UMAs or something~' Takeshi laughed heartily.

'Ah, but good-looking UMAs, neee, minna~' Tsuna chirped in a sing-song voice, clapping her hands once. 'Training from hell did this to our bodies, is all.'

'Tche, overreacting just because we worked out a little. Bah, stupid kids.' Gokudera huffed. Takeshi sweatdropped. Worked out a little? Since becoming Tsuna's guardian, the workout was hellish but it su-lo-w-ly got easy over time. It was to get strong for what's coming, should the Ninth Generation reveal that Tsuna is now an heir candidate, no longer a bride to be given away.

But Tsuna worked hard too because if her status went public, from untouchable giveaway bride to 'touchable' target-to-kill to lessen competition. So she really has to be the best fighter if she wants to _live past middle school_. Poor girl...she's a really good kid, kind, caring and nurturing to friends, her misfortune was _being born into the Sawada Family that has mafia connections_.

They also have an office in school Kyoya procured for their use which was next to his office,

xxx

'You three...its time to find a new Guardian.' Reborn told them. 'So far there's Gokudera, Yamamoto, Lambo and Hibari. But we are missing two more.'

'Two more?' Takeshi blinked.

'Aye.' Reborn nodded. 'Every Vongola Boss has six guardians, representing Storm, Rain, Sun, Cloud, Lightning and Mist Flames while the Boss possesses the Sky Flames.' he said. 'Out of these seven flames, five has been fulfilled, two are absent. Find the Sun and Mist and we need to train them before Nono leaks information. We have little time left and I don't know for how long I can buy more time for you.'

'Right...' the teenagers gulped.

'Well, I told you that. I'll work on Lambo at home while keeping an eye on CEDEF for orders.' and the baby left by the windows...and they're on the second floor.

'Y-yikes...' Tsuna shook, shaken with fear. 'I-I'm confident about and for us but...we'll be facing Mafioso who already...gulp...' the boys are also nervous. They too, are training to live but they've never drawn blood before...and they're made to face hardened killers who will soon come for them.

'We'll be fine ojousama!' Gokudera quickly reassured her. 'We've been training for several months now, we should be fine!'

'While I want to believe that, we are school kids who will soon fight seasoned killers you know.' Takeshi frowned. 'We have to give it all we got to protect our boss.' he smiled. 'We give it all we got so we have no regrets!'

'...I think we should train harder.' Tsuna gulped but her expression in sheer determination. 'Our goal is to live and graduate Namimori ALIVE.' she emphasized with sheer determination in her eyes.

'Yes ma'am!'

Life continued.

Season of Athletic Fest.

'Athletic Fest Event, huh?' Tsuna giggled at the bulletin board poster. 'This looks fun!'

'Yeah but the school is divided into four teams...' Takeshi pointed out. 'We might face each other!'

'Oh heck, no! We better make sure we're on the same team!' Gokudera sputtered out in dismay.

'Maa maa, we're divided by class...so we won't be separated at all...weren't you reading~?' Tsuna made a cat-smile at her bodyguard. At this, Gokudera read the poster again...and saw the much-welcome words.

'We won't be separated after all!' Gokudera cried in relief.

'Well, we better do our best.' Tsuna chimed. 'We might fight Hibari-senpai and he's our best fighter so far and the most seasoned out of us...'

The boys gulped as they pictured Kyoya with his Tonfas out, saying, 'Face me, Herbivores!'

And so, at A Group Meeting, headed by Sasagawa Ryohei...

'ULTIMATE WILL TO WIN!' he boomed, 'THAT is our Team A's slogan for this Athletic Meet tomorrow! Unless we win, everything is MEANINGLESS!'

'UOOOOH!'

'My my, everyone is in high spirits, aren't they?' Tsuna beamed, clapping her hands in a mock-cheerful manner.

'Stupid turf-head is so damn loud, good thing there's no microphone or we'll be deaf before high school!' Gokudera grumbled. 'Can't he tone it down a little?!'

'Maa maa, as leader he must inspire. I used to do that too back in baseball.' Takeshi told him. 'Let him have his shine.'

'The Pole Knocking Competition is the key to win this year.' Ryohei continued,

'Pole Knocking?' Gokudera blinked, not familiar with the sport.

'Us freshmen are cannon fodder to support the stronger sophomores and seniors, so don't worry much.' Tsuna smiled, causing her guardians to sweatdrop.

'It's been a tradition that the team's representative is the leader of Pole Knocking which means I should do it,' Ryohei spoke again, before taking a deep breath before booming, 'BUT I WILL RESIGN!'

'EHHH/HAH?!'

That gobsmacked them all.

'RATHER THAN BEING A LEADER, I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER!'

'Humm...he's already Guardian Material...what do you think, boys?' Tsuna asked her current guardians.

'Yeah but he's a nutjob...' Gokudera complained. 'Is he even qualified?!'

'Well, he's the other decent fighter in the school...' Takeshi pointed out. 'We can't be picky. Moreover Tsuna-chan leads us to potential family members with her senses y'know. Boss and Guardians are lifelong companions, Reborn said so.'

'Hush, he's speaking again!'

'...but there is nothing to worry about, I found us a great leader!' he continued, before pointing at the back. 'SAWADA TSUNAYOSHI OF CLASS 1-A! She's our leader!'

'EHHHHH?!'

Tsuna let out a horrifying malice that smothered the whole room...

'O-ojousama...' those sitting near Tsuna was on the verge of wetting their pants and skirts in mortal fear.

'I'll agree to be leader but tell me why you decided on me, Sasagawa-oniisan?' Tsuna asked Ryohei with a sweet smile as her malice intensified.

'W-w-well,' Ryohei meeped, 'I-I got a letter from 'a friend' saying you're the extreme best choice, don't kill meee!'

"Reborn you bastard..." Tsuna smiled maliciously. 'Someone's gonna **die** today...ufufufufu...' she cackled as she rubbed her hands in glee. Those who heard her felt sorry for their 'resigned leader' thinking she meant him. Not far from her, Sasagawa Kyoko whimpered.

"Hiiii! Don't kill my brother Sawada-saaan..." she meeped in fear, worrying for her brother.

"I hope she didn't mean me!" Ryohei gulped. This aura is extremely SCARY!

xxx

'Sounds like Leader isn't a much-wanted job, ojousama...you really looked ready to kill that loud idiot.' Gokudera shuddered. How Tsuna learned to project malice long before meeting Reborn is scaryyy...

'No it's NOT.' Tsuna sighed. 'For athletic-focusing schools, Pole Knocking is a sport only the strong can participate in.' she said. 'To win,you have to knock the Leader off. Your clothes get pulled and you get punched and kicked...whether you win or lose, you're all beaten up so you lose either way!' she moaned. 'Currently, B-Class' leader is the President of the Karate Club and C-Class' leader is the President of the Sumo Club...it'll be a challenge to knock them off without showing off our full power you know?' she chuckled. 'I can manage myself just fine, its you boys who'll have the rougher job...I mean, we're stronger than a typical middle schooler...' the boys sweatdropped. Ain't that the truth... 'If it was Hibari-senpai as leader, you can go all out without looking suspicious but...he'd rather maintain school peace than sit on a pole.'

At home...

'DIE, REBORN!' Tsuna roared as she chased Reborn around the house with a wooden mallet.

'...what got Tsuna-neesan so mad? It's only 3:30...' Lambo blinked owlishly as he, Nana and the boys watched their angry leader try and kill Reborn who was effortlessly dodging her.

'...let's just say she got quite a shock and he had a hand in it.' Takeshi chuckled. 'She's so mad our Group A nearly wet their pants.'

'Maa maa Tsu-chan, it's rare to be the star in athletic meets, its a rare chance to shine!' Nana smiled while following Tsuna's recipe books.

'AND I DON'T WANT TO! KEEP STILL AND DIE YOU SADIST!' chaos ensued in the next room.

'Mama-san, I heard from pops the best way to calm a girl down is chocolate drinks, is that true?' Takeshi asked Nana sheepishly. 'Tsuna-chan is really red like a lobster.'

'Hummm...she likes green tea ice cream, could you boys go buy some~?'

xxx

Next day was the meet. Namimori's Junior High Athletic Fest...hot battles are between three groups.

Track and Field, Takeshi won...despite holding back even with a goofy smile on his face.

Pogo Stick Hopping...Tsuna won without effort while looking as cute as possible.

However...

/Attention students! There is to be a meeting between Group Representatives over the Pole Knocking Event!/

'If Reborn interferes again!' Tsuna growled.

'Maa maa ojousama...in a way, this'll be quick...' Gokudera sweatdropped. 'Easy victory, yeah?'

'You have a point but the problem is Hibari-senpai you know...' Tsuna shook weakly. 'He's our best fighter! Before I could beat him but now I can't!'

'Then we'll just have to knock down his pole before he goes near yours just incase!' said Gokudera while hoping Hibari would NOT take Leader spot as they can all predict what jackassery their teacher will do.

And so...

/Thank you for waiting./ said the faculty. /A decision has been made. Upon debating, it will be an A VS B+C Union!/

'NANIIII?!'

'UOOOOH!'

'That never happened before!'

Tsuna stretched herself and looked ready to battle...because Sasagawa Ryohei, being egged on by Reborn taking advantage of his philosophies, insisted on the union...and Hibari's the self-appointed leader.

'Sooo omnivore...this time we'll fight.' Kyoya smiled predatorily. 'Are you gonna take this seriously?'

'Of course because its YOU we're talking about, Hibari-senpai.' Tsuna smiled despite her inner self sweating buckets.

'If you get knocked out, I want you to cook me 5-star Japanese Gourmet Cuisine every day!' Kyoya demanded, causing hundreds of eyes to bulge.

'If I win, I'm exempt from all school rules no matter what!' Tsuna challenged, knowing the rule-lover will get serious.

'Exempt...from ALL rules?' Kyoya twitched, fired up at the costly(in his opinion) prize.

'Yeah, if its you for an opponent, I want that prize!' Tsuna challenged.

'You're on, omnivore!' Kyoya accepted the challenge, smacking his fist against his palm. 'Nobody breaks rules in MY territory, not even you!'

'I wonder what she's thinking riling him up...' Takeshi sweatdropped.

'Who knows...well, we better be on the front lines.' Gokudera cracked his knuckles. 'Knock em' down for ojousama!'

/You heard that folks, the Leaders have dared each other!/ the speaker announced. /Leaders in position!/ Kyoya and Tsuna hopped to their positions as the groups surrounded protectively around their poles as Tsuna removed her shirt to reveal she's wearing a spandex form-fitting top.

'OHHHH!' one hell of an eye candy!

'Nee Hibari-senpai, aren't you gonna strip?' Tsuna smirked. 'Our tops are a liability when we're focusing on each other!'

'I agree!' Kyoya removed his coat and shirt, revealing he's on a tank top, and being another eye candy due to his musculature.

'Baseball freak, the stakes are high...we better not let anyone near ojousama!' Gokudera swore. 'And its all Turf-Head's fault!'

'What, this is more interesting than tradition!' Ryohei exclaimed eagerly. 'Your ojousama also has extreme nerves of steel!'

'If you're the first to be taken down after all that, we're shaving you bald.' Takeshi snarked. 'Our boss is on the line!'

'Hah, I'm a man of fists, there's no way I'll be taken down that easily!'

/SEEEET! GOOOO!/ and all hell broke loose.

'Looks like before we fight each other we have to deal with these idiots first!' Kyoya scowled as he and Tsuna kicked off their knockers.

'Well, this IS Pole Knocking...' and the Guardians are doing a great job of their own too...

It took them a while before the two leaders could have a jaw-dropping combat on top of their poles. It was something you'd see in hardcore action movies. The faculty were horrified that the two were perfectly fine with beating the crap out of each other AND on high-level fighting skill!

'Sniff...I'm so proud...' Reborn sniffled playfully with a handkerchief. 'That looks beautiful for students! They're nothing like my No-Good Dino!'

'You sound like a parent watching his kids on graduation day!' Bianchi giggled happily.

'Tsuna-chan go for it! Mama's watching~!' Nana chimed with a camcorder.

'Tsuna-neesan go for it!' Lambo cheered.

However, because Gokudera and Takeshi are thinning out the opposition...Kyoya was losing his balance because the guys supporting his pole are getting attacked.

'W-whaaa?! Kuso!'

'Looks like I get to break rules from now on~!' Tsuna grinned victoriously. 'Which ones should I break and never get detention for eternity?'

Needless to say Kyoya wasn't too happy.


	6. The No-Good Student

The No-Good Student and the Horror of Tootsuki

'Tsuna.' Reborn spoke that morning.

'Hai?'

'No-Good Dino is coming.' said Reborn. 'I want him to teach you something I can't, as he's a Mafia Boss and I'm a Hitman. As a Mafia Boss, he can only impart a certain wisdom to you.'

'Eh? Uhhh hai...how many people?'

'Humm...he's well-liked by his subordinates and he can only bring twenty at a time...' Tsuna choked at that. 'So that's how many.'

'Kyaaa! I have to skip school today!' Tsuna gasped in panic at having to host MAFIA MEN. 'What time will they come?!'

'Humm...around noon to late afternoon...dunno.' Reborn shrugged.

'Humm...I'm gonna make mom spend the whole day at the Amusement Park with Lambo and I-Pin...Gokudera?' Tsuna called out and quick footsteps followed and Gokudera showed up.

'Hai, Ojousama?' Gokudera answered.

'Bring Yamamoto and Hibari-senpai with you after school...I'm skipping today.' Tsuna smiled. 'I have to get the house ready for important guests...Oh, and dress sharply so bring spare clothes with you today and get changing at Yamamoto's house.'

'Hai! But who are the guests?'

'The Cavallone Family.' Gokudera's eyes bulged.

'HAH?! I'M GONNA GET READYY!' Gokudera dashed like mad and cue heavy footsteps upstairs.

'...are they really that big, Reborn?' Tsuna wondered aloud.

'Well, I just gave Dino the backbone. The rest is up to him, I said. However, you're different case. Dino knew about Mafia all his life, you didn't so I'll have to help you up more than I did him.' said Reborn. 'But as your senpai, its also his job to give you the leg-up.'

'OK...so Italian tonight?'

'Meh, anything will do.'

'OK. Oh, and Reborn, shoot me once Mama and the kids are gone...I need double-speed to clean up the house so I can cook.' Tsuna sighed. 'And today will be the only day shoes are allowed in a Japanese House...just incase.'

'Alright, but remember, ten of these things, you'll get Skullitis.' Reborn warned. 'Two down, eight to go.' Tsuna scoffed at that.

'I don't even have embarrassing moments for it to talk about...'

Sure enough, the Cavallone Family came around 2:30 pm, while Tsuna was taking a shower.

'Buon Pomeriggio!' Dino greeted jovially as Reborn answered the door, and out came a powerful aroma that came with it. 'Whoa?!'

'You should be thankful she cooked.' said Reborn. 'Come inside.'

'Weeeehhh...Lady Vongola cooked? Wow!' Dino drooled as his and his men's noses smelled the wonderful aroma of freshly-cooked food. 'It smells really great!'

'Yes but once her bodyguards arrive, have yours help them out in setting up tables outside.' said Reborn. 'All of us can't fit in here for lunch you know. She made enough for your brigade.'

'Whoa! Really?! LUCKY!'

xxx

Up in her room...

'Wah, they're here already...' Tsuna gulped nervously. "To public knowledge, I'm still a Lady. I better look and act the part!" she chose a salmon pink silk dress with white trim, and a fixed sash below her bosom which she tied into a neat ribbon. Her hair which is normally in low, loose pigtails is worn loosely, wearing hairpins instead and light make-up, and she wore light brown strappy platform sandals on her feet. Before leaving, she put on glass brown bracelets.

Taking a deep breath, she remembered her 'Lady' lessons with Reborn, and set to act as the perfect host in her own way.

'Gokigen'yo, Signor.' she smiled. 'Pleasure to meet you...I am Tsunayoshi Sawada.'

Reborn knew 'that' smile...and it was enough to melt the Cavallone Family into jelly goo judging by the looks on their faces. 'That' smile is reserved specifically for her 'lady persona' as they are still putting up with the farce. It was a smile Tsuna perfected just for this.

Perfect host indeed, he trained her real well and Dino was putty in her care to the point that...well...

He pissed off Gokudera as when the boys arrived, he was holding her hands as if he was asking for her hand in marriage! His left arm was wrapped around her waist, sitting way too close to her and her right hand on his own.

'YOU FILTHY OCTOPI, WHAT'RE YOU DOING HOLDING OJOUSAMA LIKE THAT!' he practically exploded as he lunged for the kill. The men in blacks were ready to kill him if not for the other boys.

'Gokudera calm down!' Takeshi freaked out as he and Kyoya tackled the silverette into submission as even they knew not to mess with THESE people! 'It must be an Italian Way of Socializing?!'

'My ass!' Gokudera snarled while violently struggling. 'Italy is the Land of Amore! Men hold women like that in courtships! Lemme go! I wanna kill him!'

'Of course I would hold her like this.' Dino smiled at the overprotective bodyguard. 'I am one of her fiancée candidates you know...'

'Well, he's the youngest among them and the most eligible given Tsuna's personality.' said Reborn. 'He's only six years older than her.'

'NANIIII?!' now, both Gokudera and Takeshi gawked. Kyoya sighed.

'You're too loud, be quiet, Omnivores!' he grunted. 'You're giving me a headache!'

'B-but Hibari-senpai, ojousama is too young for this!' Gokudera wailed. 'And isn't this what your culture calls 'Lolicon'?!'

Silence...

Dino is in his twenties.

Tsuna is just fourteen.

Lots of people sweatdropped.

Gokudera was right.

And this was something he exploited, knowing Kyoya's love for Order.

Kyoya projected malice and took out his Tonfas. He also pressed a button by the handles wherein the tonfas had a hidden spike in the blunt ends! These new tonfas are Reborn's courtesy through the Vongola Family as Kyoya definitely fit the bill of Cloud Guardian.

'Um, guys, no fighting in the house?' Tsuna meeped nervously, looking back and forth at the boys.

'Ahaha, you got good subordinates, Lady Vongola!' Dino smiled appreciatively as Kyoya pounced while Dino got his whip ready when the house went cold.

'**No fighting or nobody gets lunch and dinner.**' came the absolute-zero frigid voice that made everyone gulp. '**Sit!**' everyone quickly sat down, even on the floor in utter fear. Funnily enough, everyone sat on Seiza. Tsuna's demeanor did a 180 and back to being her old self. 'Now that everyone's here, let's set up the tables outside, OK? Hop-hop!'

The men scrambled in fear.

'...gokuro, Tsuna.' Reborn cackled. 'I had no idea a visit could turn out to be this amusing.'

'Honestly...given our strength level, they can easily level down this house, I can't let that happen!' Tsuna deadpanned. 'I want the house in one piece before mom and the kids get home! Where are they now?' Reborn took out a portable GPS System out of his coat to look.

'Still at the Amusement Park.'

'Good. Keep tabs on I-Pin. Right now she's more reliable than Lambo...' Tsuna sighed. 'I better get the food ready to be brought out.' and she went to the kitchen.

'Ufufufufu...entertaining day today indeed~' Reborn cackled jovially.

xxx

Outside...the Cavallone were forbidden to look until the Vongola brought the food out since Tsuna wanted a surprise and a lasting impression. Soon...

Everyone can look now!' they did to see two pots of soup, and a wide variety of both Japanese and Chinese dishes that were gorgeously aesthetically arranged, and still warm, smelling good. There's also a number of dining ware enough for the mentioned people.

'WOW!'

'Dino-sama, please win the Engagement!'

'She's a wonderful lady for Cavallone Famiglia!'

'Oh my, what an endorsement!' Dino looked sheepish when another car arrived outside the gates. It was a long limousine. 'Wha?'

'I'm not expecting guests other than everyone present.' Tsuna blinked owlishly as the mafia braced themselves...and a blonde old man came out in traditional clothing that made Tsuna pale.

'...for Tootsuki's Director to be here...you must have caught his interest, Tsuna.' Reborn told her. 'You must have gotten his attention for **defeating all Presidents of various Research Clubs in Cooking Duels.**'

'I did it for fun, not trouble!' she squeaked as following the man, is a pair of busty blonde girls though the taller one looked on the albino side. Then a purple-haired girl followed. The last one to come out is a bored-looking boy. 'God's Tongue and Child Prodigy is here too...what's going on?' she stood up and quickly approached the newcoming guests.

'Erm, explain?' Dino asked the boys. Why is Lady Vongola so wary of these people when they're not even Mafia?

'Tsuna-chan hopes to go into the super-elite international Culinary School Tootsuki come high school.' Takeshi explained. 'Those who graduate there have very bright promising prosperous futures in the Culinary Industry as the name Tootsuki bears great weight and graduating there would mean a lot of Restaurant owners worldwide would fight tooth and nail just to have a graduate in their employ. And only 1% graduate with the remaining 99% expelled for failing. Competition by high school is ruthless and merciless due to the high standards. Her friend goes there too.'

'And that geezer and long-haired blonde holds great power in the industry and all chefs in the world fear them...one bad word from them and your future as chef is shot forever as they select the cream of the crop.' Gokudera added. 'Serious business.'

'You seem to have a lot of guests today, Sawada-san.' the giant of an old man spoke. 'Isshiki of the Elite Ten spoke highly of you.'

'He really did?' Tsuna smiled nervously. 'For him to rate me highly is a big honor!'

'Yes. We frequently look for jewels among rough ores...and I am here to test you.' said Senzaemon as Tsuna's expression changed. 'You have made a lot for your guests, so that will do. So you specialize in Curry, as well as Chinese and Japanese Cuisine?' he asked as he took one look at the tables groaning heavily on food.

'Yes...they're fun to work with and you can do pretty much anything without straying too far from the themes.' said Tsuna as some of the men left. 'Please wait a bit, a table for you will be ready.'

'Yukihira-kun also talks about you a lot...he said you learned from his father?' the albino asked her good-naturedly.

'Hai...but my year-and-half pales from his twelve years though.' said Tsuna. 'I started recently...and because ojisan is traveling again, hired by various wealthy clientele and even my wealthier relatives, he sends me videotape lessons to continue on.' she said. 'Ojisan is Saiba Joichiro, an OB 2nd Seat(Nakiri Erina's eyes bulged at this) but he's going by Yukihira out of memory for Soma-chan's mother(Erina went into shock).' she smiled. 'Ah~, if only more men like that existed in the world in our generation~' she sighed dreamily. 'A real husband material~!'

'O-ojousama, what're you saying?!' Gokudera sputtered out, wide-eyed while Dino filed away notes.

'Maa maa, its normal for students to idolize some teachers, Gokudera.' Takeshi chuckled. 'Don't explode!'

'Idiot omnivore!' Kyoya scoffed.

'You guys go on ahead without me!' Tsuna called out to the mafia.

When the free table was set up, Tsuna, being the perfect host began serving food to the newcoming guests.

'This is it...this is a big test.' Takeshi shuddered in excitement as they watched. 'She got the approval of one of the Elite Ten Council...if she got THEIR approval, she might score a scholarship!'

'Oh wow...for you guys to be this nervous and for Lady Vongola to take them seriously with high respect...' Dino gulped nervously. She even forgot they were there!

'Of course, this is ojousama's goals we're talking about.' Gokudera explained. 'Long before she knew Mafia existed, she was aiming for that school! We better watch...'

On the banquet tables were a full course and several other dishes of both Japanese and Chinese Origins. And authentic Indian Curry...

xxx

Tsuna was so happy and in a very bright mood.

She obtained a High School Scholarship in the process upon impressing the fussiest eaters in the universe and she was over the moon about it and pretty much, spent most of the day happy, talking with the mafia in an utterly good mood and was being the perfect host once more.

But after dinner...

'Reborn! Why is ojousama going off alone with that guy?!' Gokudera wailed. 'He might do something inappropriate in public?!'

'Yeah and you know Japan's society...the adults here see differently unlike us teenagers, they might get the wrong idea!' Yamamoto agreed. 'Hibari-senpai's stalking just to shut up witnesses!'

'What do you Japanese call it? Enjo Kosai!' Gokudera choked out. 'Ojousama would never do such a thing!'

'You're Japanese too you know.' Yamamoto reminded him.

'I grew up in Italy!' Gokudera justified everything with that.

xxx

'So Dino-san, Reborn said you have a specific purpose in Japan?' Tsuna asked Dino as they were at the riverside, where it's open space, meaning, nobody and nothing can hide from them.

'Yeah. And out of your fiancée candidates, I'm the only one he trusted with this change of course.' said Dino. 'That you're now aiming to be Boss.'

'Yeah. The people aiming to marry me are the last people I'd ever consider until Reborn said you recently became a candidate...'

'Haha, I was interested...I only pretended to be a candidate to justify my seeing the aspiring Vongola Decima.' Dino chuckled. 'Only two women in all Mafia History got to be boss and two of them from Vongola to boot...'

'Well, what's it like...being boss I mean.' Tsuna asked him. 'Its been years and Reborn said he taught you.'

'That was some years back.' said Dino before shuddering. 'There were many times where I nearly died!'

'That must be horrible...' Tsuna giggled.

'Well, thanks to him I was able to inherit my family and I was able to double our power, able to control 5000 families.' said Dino. 'How about you? How is he training you?'

'Oh, he trains me in business management and combat skills...he said Survival Training will come every school vacation...' Tsuna shivered horribly. 'I hate Survival Training...I could still remember how many times I nearly died with my Guardians...'

'Haha, isn't it isn't it? We have something in common!' Dino laughed happily. 'To be honest I wanted to learn more but hey, my survival alarm bells are ringing...he was about to chuck me to Death Mountain when he got a job from Vongola to teach you about something he can never teach you.'

Tsuna snorted.

'When he told me that, I looked outside my window at the sky, wondering of Meteors would fall down or the next Ice Age would happen...' Dino snickered at that. 'And he told me he's the best tutor in the world so when he said that...yeah, I'm stunned!'

'Well, I'll now begin our private lessons and this open space is convenient. No need to worry about freaky assassins or blowing up your cover.' said Dino cheerfully. Through a triple-secured phone line, Dino knew the truth indeed. 'You see...'

What is the lesson all bosses must know?


	7. Ojousama the Judge

Ojousama the Judge

One morning around Autumn...

'NO WAAAAAY?!' shook the rafters that one afternoon at the Sawada Household when Lambo handed her the mail.

'What is it, ojousama?!' Gokudera called out, responding to the screams and saw her holding a fancy envelope with golden trim. 'Eh?'

'I got invited as a Guest Judge for the Autumn Election Tournament at Tootsuki, slated for Hall B three days from now!' Tsuna choked out. 'What am I gonna wear?! What am I gonna do?!'

Full panic mode she goes.

'Shopping we go.' said Reborn.

'Ooh, shopping! Let's go! Dinner can wait, Tsu-chan! Otherwise all the good ones are gonna be gone!' Nana squealed happily.

Needless to say, they quickly left to buy formal wear in known boutiques Reborn somehow had knowledge of and Tsuna wanted white gowns to wear.

Thing is, Nana was wondering WHERE Tsuna got the money...when she chose a rather expensive dress and shoes to match worth six digits...and she somehow had the money in her bag. She even treated Gokudera and Takeshi for their suits, while Kyoya came from a rich family, bought his own suit.

Tootsuki, Hall B...

'The judges are real big time people in the Culinary and Gastronomy World.' said Reborn as they came in a long limo, Dino's courtesy. 'In this first round, the Head Judges are the famous Curry Queens, the twin Sendawara Sisters Natsume and Orie. Orie will judge in Hall B and your fellow judges are Kita Osaji, Andou Shingo and some businessman who sponsors the school.' Reborn handed Tsuna some papers which she shared with her guardians.

'Oho! I like the Orie lady, the Natsume one looks bitchy...' Dino whistled, making the teenagers and one mom sweatdrop.

'Dino-san, keep your opinions to yourself or we're dead meat, OK?' Tsuna sweatdropped.

xxx

Hall B...

'Welcome to Hall B, judges.' Isshiki greeted them. 'Sawada-chan too.'

'Heheh, Nakiri-sama invited me too, Isshiki-san.' Tsuna smiled before letting out a more sinister dark smile. 'Ma, my famiglia is a future client too and my predecessor would want someone great to work for us! We should pity the poor soul I choose...' Isshiki gulped. He pities them indeed...

'My, you are the representative for your family ojouchan? Famiglia is how Italians call their mafia, correct?' Kita Osaji asked her while he and the others looked nervous.

'Hai. Well, I hope that among these rocks, we'll find real gems, Kita-san.' Tsuna smiled. 'As Nakiri-sama said, 99% are junk and we demand the best.'

'I hope so...I don't see much hope.' said Sendawara Orie boredly as they took their seats.

'No way...Sawada-chan is a judge!' Tadokoro Megumi meeped in fear.

'Well, her family relations are powerful, of course she'd be a judge.' said Yoshino Yuuki in a sweatdrop. 'And she's the girl who trashed every RS' Presidents in the Academy!'

'You mean she's the rumored girl who did it?!' Takumi Aldini squawked out, wide-eyed. All chefs present stared at Tsuna who was smiling.

'She's the one~' Nakiri Alice chuckled. 'A 13 year old winning against even 3rd Year High School Students...Erina was so mad at the embarrassment they caused she removed them from their posts!'

The cooking began.

'Ne nee Isshiki-kun...hurry up and become one of my possessions, OK?' Orie spoke in a cutesy manner.

'Fufu...I'm still in school...' Isshiki smiled charmingly.

'It's OK. Even if you drop out now I'll support you for the rest of your life~' Orie insisted as all judges sweatdropped. 'Hey...hurry...you meanie...'

'Isshiki-san you're so scary...' Tsuna sweatdropped. A woman years older than him is actually PROPOSING. 'You should work for my family instead. You'd fit right in!'

'Nooo he's mine!' Orie huffed in defiance childishly.

'Maa maa...' Isshiki chuckled placatingly. 'We'll settle that two years from now, maybe. For now we'd like you to enjoy our cute freshmen's dishes.'

'Who do you recommend, Isshiki-san?' Tsuna piped up. 'Aside from Nakiri Alice-san and Erina-sama's Secretary that is.'

'Fufu...we have unearthed a lot of promising stars in the Training Camp, and they are here divided between Hall A and Hall B but of course...its another fine-toothed comb.' and Isshiki handed them each a list of names complete with photos.

Tsuna took a marker...and upon looking at the crowd...she looked like she wrote something before handing it over but Orie took it and saw **a lot of profiles X-ed out**.

'Oh my! So many Xs!' she exclaimed as she looked at EVERY page and very few are scott free. Didn't even go past ten!

'Uso?!' Kita took the list from her. '...isn't this a bit...excessive?!'

'The rest are JUNK.' said Tsuna coolly. 'Those unmarked are the only ones capable of satisfying us.'

'Is that what your intuition says?' Isshiki asked as he took a peek. 'Scary~'

'Yep.'

'You're pretty harsh...ufufu...' inwardly, Isshiki was glad that _his dormmates_ weren't crossed out. She knew their potential just as he himself had seen. That and she too, is a skilled chef.

And so...

'Isshiki-san, I put four stars in my list...only you and I know who they are.' Tsuna smirked. 'These four will be in the final eight if we combine the finalists in both halls~'

'You're betting on them huh?' when he looked, Isshiki was astonished at who she picked.

'Really? Who?' Orie asked them excitedly.

'No telling...' the teenagers chorused cheerfully.

'It's a bet between us, so adults are left out for fair judging.' Tsuna quipped.

'No faaair!'

xxx

At the Spectators' Seats where Restaurant Owners and managers are...

'I wonder what ojousama did...those adults looked shocked.' Gokudera frowned in concern.

'It must be a list of names.' said Kyoya as he eyed their boss with a critical eye. 'And she must have crossed out so many who she feels will not make the cut.'

'Yes, I would know the hand gesture of writing a big fat X.' Dino agreed. 'I wonder why and what for.' he wondered aloud.

'I'm pretty worried...' Takeshi gulped. 'One of them is stirring a pot of black _nothingness_ and laughing...' he sweatdropped nervously.

'Rather than cooking...I'm _seeing Black Magic being done_.' Reborn chuckled. The Mafioso shuddered nervously at that.

'And ojousama's tasting **that**?! Noooo!' Gokudera wailed worriedly. 'We didn't even bring a stomach pump!'

'There's no way we'd need that.' Kyoya snorted while looking slightly disturbed. 'This is a prestigious known school. Poisoning will not happen here.'

'I-I hope so but that weird chef is freaking me out!'

'Forget her, look at that sexy girl in that Chinese dress!' Dino whistled appreciatively while STARING at another chef. 'And she's moving that heavy metal wok like its nothing, which speaks volumes of her strength! I think I'd want her when she graduates!'

'I'm interested in that braided girl!' Takeshi exclaimed as one of the female chefs set up what seems to be a tripod frame with a hook...and hung a big goosefish. 'She's cutting Goosefish!'

'While hanging?!' Gokudera sputtered out.

'Goosefish is really slimy and slippery.' Takeshi explained as he had an imagine spot of himself trying to cut it in exasperation on a cutting board, before the image spot switched to hanging the fish with him happily cutting. 'So most chefs cut it while hanging it just to cut it properly. Only a few chefs can do that and my dad can! And to think a student can do that...Tootsuki's scary!'

Soon, when the cookings are done...the bell rung.

/Haaaai sokomade!/ a student spoke out. /I will be your MC, Kawashima Urara! The judging will now begin! There are five judges who can each give 20 points, thus in total, a contestant can score a hundred! The four students who get the highest scores will go on to the main tournament! Evaluate it please!/

And so, a first student came up and presented his dish and Tsuna eyed hers critically with a cold look on her face.

'Uh...looks like she doesn't like it...' Dino sweatdropped. 'It looks good too.'

'Ojousama takes curry seriously...she sometimes cooks it at home when she's on a real happy mood. She cooked her heavenly curry for dinner when she got that scholarship.' said Gokudera. Dino swallowed down his drool that pooled in his mouth as indeed on that day, Curry was for dinner... 'Her curry is worth DYING for and for her to make that face down there..._it means it sucks_.' he told him flatly.

'Tsuna judges curry in five forms...appearance, aroma, flavor caused by skillful handling of spices, heat and numbness it causes on the tongue due to the spice. If even one of those elements is missing...its no good.' said Reborn.

There's only 23 points. Some gave 0, Tsuna included while others are a bit...nicer...if you can call that nice!

/Uh judges? The minimum you could give is 20.../ the MC choked out nervously.

'You think this **junk** is worth twenty from each of us? Cut the crap!' Tsuna grunted harshly, making the MC meep at her harshness, even though the judge in question is younger than her by two or three years. The hall fell silent at her cold words...it was easily heard since there's a nearby mike to their seats.

'Why is my dish worth only 23 points?!' the student demanded, a tad angry.

'Who do you think we are?' Kita spoke coldly. 'We eat dishes made by professionals on a daily basis. Even if we say its well done and factoring the fact you're still a student...well, you're pretty good considering _you got some of us to give you points_.'

'And that's because some of us are a bit nicer I suppose.' Tsuna snarked. 'If things were done differently all of us would have given a **zero** had this tournament been something like the Iron Chef show or something...but alas, its a competition for students.' she drawled boredly. 'Ma, who am I to talk, I'm a middle schooler but even my mom can make a better dish than this!'

'You got quite the tongue ojouchan!' Kita laughed jovially.

The next few dishes...got low, low scores.

The next dish however...released one hell of a stink!

'UGEEEEEH!'

'It stinks!'

'Its like a sewer's smell!'

'T-this horrible smell...it's Kusaya!' Takeshi wheezed out as all of them covered their noses.

'What the fuck is that tear gas, Yamamoto?!' Kyoya demanded as the stench assaulted their noses which they pinched, and began breathing through their mouths.

'Its an Izu Island Specialty wherein you pickle any blue-backed fish in Kusaya Juice and then letting them dry in the sun after...it really stinks!' Takeshi explained, drawing on his seafood knowledge, being the next heir to his father's restaurant. 'Just cooking this in ANY way will guarantee you a mob of angry neighbors complaining about it!'

Down there...

'Why is Kusaya your ingredient?!' Tsuna freaked out as the smell made the whole hall GAG.

'This foulest of stenches is Kusaya?!' Kita wheezed out in horror. 'Just by grilling it you'll get angry neighbors on your doorstep!'

'It stiiiinks!' Orie wailed unhappily. 'If you boil this thing you get a really amazing bad smell!'

'Saa...this is Sadatsuka Nao Special...Jet Black Curry Laksa...' the creepy girl introduced her dish.

'This hellish smell better be worth it if you're risking your place in this competition with Kusaya!' Tsuna choked out. 'Can it even be a spice?!'

'Additionally this is my special Kusaya...its made from Flying Fish and Mahi-Mahi...' Sadatsuka Nao spoke in a rather creepy endearing manner. 'I used the Kusaya Juice I developed with the utmost care...!'

'0! 0 points I say!' Kita choked out. He just wants rid of the smell ASAP. 'This isn't edible for humanity!'

'Well, if she dared to use Kusaya in such confidence...why don't we try this out?' Tsuna choked out in utter tears from the stink. 'And Andou-san is here, this'll be a hit article for sure...in the World's Most Bizarre section!'

'I'm not even sure what to **say** about it...' the essayist sweatdropped.

'I-I don't want to eat it...' Kita sputtered as the two female judges braced themselves and took a bite... 'You two can't be serious?!'

'W-we're just fulfilling our role as judges...' said Orie feebly. "Uweeeehhh...the astringent acidity and raw smell are mixing..." she gasped out in disgust. "It smells like a urinal that's not cleaned for years..."

'Kami-sama help us!' Tsuna sniffled as they took a bite.

'OJOUSAMA NOOOO!' Gokudera's loud shrieky wail was clearly heard.

'Be quiet, idiot!' Kyoya scolded.

'Don't worry guys! I'll live!' Tsuna yelled back before slurping the noodles. The whole hall fell silent as the gutsy females took a bite... '...it's delicious?'

'Yes...it's delicious...' Orie agreed. 'B-but...but it stiiinks!' she wailed as she took another bite.

'It's delicious but it stinks!' Tsuna gasped out as the two women began eating like possessed.

'It stiiiiiinks but its tasty!' Orie slurped her noodles in wanton gusto. The other judges exchanged looks and took a bite...

'R-really? That putrid thing down there is tasty?!' Dino choked out.

'If they say so it must be good...but I'd rather die than eat that thing.' Takeshi groused out.

'We can **weaponize** the stink since it's really nauseating...' Reborn twitched with a clothespin on his nose. 'We should ask that girl for the recipe.'

'I-it's delicious!' Kita exclaimed. 'The seafood's deliciousness is spreading in my mouth! The more I eat the more the smell becomes a good thing...'

'I can taste entirely seafood in here!' Tsuna gasped out. 'Its an idea similar to Kapi which is a spice made from fermented shrimp but Kusaya's flavor is much more deeper than Kapi! Combined with Laksa, it all makes sense!'

'The flavor spreads because of coconut milk and spices like Lemongrass, and with Kusaya as the main ingredient, the curry becomes more delicious!' Andou Shingo spoke for the first time.

'Amazing...those judges down there can tell what makes a dish?' Dino mused, impressed.

'Well, our Tsuna down there is also a chef and the rest are big-time entrepreneurs eating gourmet dishes everyday, they'd learn a thing or two from their hired professionals.' said Reborn.

'They couldn't stop eating that scary dish at all...' Gokudera gasped in horrified awe. 'They'd know if drugs are in there, right?'

'Of course they'd know!' said Kyoya wryly. 'If that girl dared to put drugs, not only is her career as a chef forever shot, she'd be in prison!'

They finished the dish while still reeling from the smell...and combined, the score was 84.

Sure the dish is delicious, but the smell was a BIG TURN OFF.

/The first high score ever! Sadatsuka's dish is worth 84 points!/ Urara cried in utter disbelief. /She's the current first place! Now then, while we ventilate the hall, the next contestant please step up!/ next was Arato Hisako.

'Erina-sama's aide...to be at her side you got to pack a punch, Arato-san.' Tsuna whistled appreciatively at the girl's curry. She could not properly smell the curry as the impact of the previous curry is still in her nose so she would judge by eating it.

'Of course!' Hisako smiled. 'Please have some!'

'Then we shall. The roux looks soupy and juicy not viscous or creamy like typical curry...' Tsuna took a bite...and gasped. In her mind's eye, she had clawed hands and spiked chains gripping her from the previous dish, the clawed hand and chains shattered and she somehow sprouted wings made of FLAMES.

That mirage was NOT lost on some people...

'Ahhhhnnnn...' she smiled in delight with a dreamy smile. 'If the previous dish enslaved me to the stench...this dish freed me from it! I feel so clean and free! Like a phoenix that was born again!' she exclaimed as she ate more. 'Mmmm...the more I eat it, the more I feel...alive! I'm happy to be alive!'

'W-what on earth is happening down there...ojousama sprouted wings made of fire down there...' Gokudera's eyes bulged.

"That dish...has some potential..." Reborn thought. If THAT had any effect on Tsuna's powers...

'Ojouchan somehow sprouted wings made of fire...and the weak-looking weedy Andou-sensei somehow sprouted muscles like a kung-fu actor!' Kita exclaimed, wide-eyed in shock.

'This flavor...' Andou spoke like a chanting Buddhist monk in prayer. 'Dong Dang Gui, Senkyuu, Jiou, Shakuyaku...a dish based on traditional Chinese medicine made by mixing four varieties of plants, Shimotsu-to!'

'You're kidding! Medicinal herbs can actually make curry this good?!' Tsuna sputtered incredulously as she looked at her food. She cooked healthy foods in the past for Gokudera and Lambo's sakes but her skill in medical food pales in comparison to THIS.

'Isn't that the rumored dish that's said to be capable of reviving dying travelers on the verge of death?!' Kita exclaimed incredulously. 'For a student capable of using Shimotsu-to in a dish!'

'Other than the four remedies, I added Kyouou, Daiuikyou, and Shouikyou to make medicinal spices mix.' Hisako smirked. 'I left the spices to stew for an hour to extract the medicinal components, then I put in the vegetables and mutton meat until they had a mellow tenderness. I finished the dish with Shaoxingjiu and Coriander to heighten the aroma.' she explained.

'Hah...come to think of it, medicine making is similar to making curry when you think and look at it...' Kita commented as he and Orie began trying it out. 'Kyouou is 'wild turmeric' while Daiuikyou and Shouikyou are 'Star Anise' and 'Fennel'...all of them spices to make curry!'

'A medicinal curry that can cleanse the body, mind and spirit...I like the idea.' Tsuna sighed in utter bliss. 'You can't find a chef like her anywhere in the world...'

'Wah! I can feel it...it's circling through my body!' Kita also sported mirage muscles.

'Ahhh...delicious...' Orie moaned in utter foodgasm. 'The mutton meat's strong body is made even better by the spices, and the vegetables' sweetness blends into the soupy roux well! My body warms up the more I eat it!'

'Yes...medicinal cooking is said to warm up the body and spirit...and cleanse the mind and soul!' Andou added his two cents in.

'I can finally smell the strong aroma of this curry the more I eat it...it's so warm and invigoratingly fragrant...a dish capable of restoring health, sanity, and cleansing the body while still being incredibly delicious...I like the thoughtfulness and caring consideration behind it.' Tsuna chuckled.

She gave the dish a 20. The other judges gave high scores too.

Arato Hisako scored 94 points.

/SHE SCORED 94!/

'UWOOOOO!'

'AS EXPECTED OF ERINA-SAMA'S SECRETARY!'

'I can just see ojousama working her brains to make her originals at home...' Gokudera commented. 'I'm still recovering from Bianchi's cooking so she makes it a point to cook healthy for me and Lambo...'

Next was Yoshino Yuuki's 'Wild Game Curry'.

'Another one who brings in a cheerful lively way with this dish!' Tsuna smiled. 'You were able to mitigate perfectly the usual bad smell of duck meat with 'orange' and fragrant spices like Turmeric and Cinnamon...'

'Oh, I put in both fruit and skin in the roux, Sawada-chan!' Yoshino chimed. 'It really goes well with my Garam Masala doesn't it?!'

'Oh yes it does!' Tsuna giggled. 'Another new page for history's cuisine! A fragrant wild game curry...people would hardly think about it yet never imagine how delicious it can be!' she exclaimed happily. 'We really could use some creativity!'

'Li'l missy, I'm gonna invite you to my club in the future!' Kita offered excitedly. An offer that brightened up the Game Chef.

'Really?! You're so generous!'

'Gahaha, you're welcome!'

'Houjou-san's dish is wonderful as well...it was colored by the fragrance of pineapple and spices...a beautiful Curry Fried Rice!' Orie smiled.

'Its the same principle with sweet and sour pork, a dish that also uses pineapple...' Tsuna spoke. 'And a rather unusual way to cook it yet it brought out the flavor and aroma without losing the rice's moisture by making use of the pineapple itself and a frigging oven! I wonder how many chefs thought of that?'

'Probably a handful.' said Andou. 'Such a way of cooking it...this made a new fresh step to Chinese Cuisine!'

/Next up, Isami Aldini!/

'A Calzone?!' all of them exclaimed.

'Oh! Normally this is used for pizza so that means...' all of them opened it up. 'It's inside!'

'Pretty handy and clean way to eat it, all we'd need is tissue paper!' Tsuna exclaimed gleefully. 'Italian Style Curry Bread!'

'This is totally different from dishes before...' said Kita as they took a bite and they all gulped.

'Wah?!' Tsuna gasped out. 'T-tomatoes! The sourness and purity of tomatoes! You put in a lot of tomatoes in the pot earlier...does that mean you heated the tomatoes and extracted their water out?!'

'Yep,' said Isami. 'By heating tomatoes in a pot, the tomatoes release an impressive amount of water. Then I mixed in a special blend of spices that harmonizes well with the flavor of tomatoes as my main ingredient. For the bread, I used homemade grape yeast which I mixed into the flour.'

'The skin surface is crispy while further inside, the bread is soft and fluffy while dry...the curry is deliberately cooked to just the right dryness just so the curry won't quickly make the bread soggy too quickly without losing its flavor and fragrance...' Tsuna remarked. 'This needed utmost care and delicacy to make as this quality is ten times better than typical school cafeteria curry bread...'

He got 89 points.

Next is the older twin Takumi.

'We have consecutive Italian dishes!' Orie exclaimed in delight. 'Bacon, Pepper and Mushrooms reminding me of Naporitan, but he used Curry Sauce instead of Ketchup. The pasta's shape is similar to Fettucine...other than that, nothing really stands out...'

'So we judge on the sauce and how well it goes with the noodles.' said Tsuna as they ate some... 'Muu?! I can clearly taste beef shin and chicken bones aromatized with fennel and cardamom spices! It's presence is so strong as if someone punched me in the face with it!'

'Did you really have to say 'punch', young lady?!' Kita sweatdropped before taking his own bite. 'That's something young girls should not say even though I helplessly agree with you...it has a powerful impact by smell and flavor!'

'The powerful curry sauce goes well with the noodles.' Andou commented. 'He used Tamari Soy Sauce, a blend known in the Tokai Region...'

'Yes but there's something I don't understand with the noodles as it went really well with the sauce's Tamari Soy blend...' Tsuna frowned. 'I taste...cheese? But where...' she cut a strand up and she picked it to take a look. And she looked quite floored in disbelief. 'As expected of an Italian...you somehow put cheese inside a thin noodle strand...' she choked out in astonishment. 'I see now...the outer layers are kneaded with Turmeric and the middle layer is cheese!'

'...you're scary...' Takumi sweatdropped. The kid was the sharpest knife in the bunch of judges, as expected of the girl who was the famous RS Calamity. And she was a far crueler judge when everyone thought the scariest one was Orie, the other half of Curry Queens because she too, is a chef. 'Yes, I did just that with parmesan cheese...'

'I see now...the powerful impact was because of the expertly harmonized Tamari Soy Sauce blend and Parmesan Cheese!' Andou exclaimed.

'B-but wouldn't the cheese melt with the heat?!' Kita sputtered incredulously. 'I see now! That's what the three layers are for!'

'Yet those three layers are made of fine, thin noodles...his skill with noodle-making is scary...expertly made nobody would really think a student can pull this miraculous stunt...' Tsuna smiled. 'You have skilled hands matched with creativity, if your brother has incredible flavor and texture sense. Combined, the two of you will be really scary in the kitchen.'

Takumi was one point higher than his twin.

'I'd want that pasta and calzone anyday...' Dino drooled. 'I want those twins in my employ!'

Next was Alice...

'Uh...I'm speechless...a curry dish like an avant garde art sculpture?' Tsuna sweatdropped with wide-eyed owlish expression.

'Fufu, everything's a curry~have a bite!' Alice said cheerfully. They all did...and froze.

'Er...how should I describe this...it's both warm and...cold?' the famous essayist Andou-sensei is at a loss for words.

'If even Andou-sensei is at a loss for how incredible this curry is, we're in big trouble...' Tsuna choked out. 'I can't describe how delicious it is but I'm at a loss on **what** its made of and **how** it's made...Alice-san, a little hand here please?' she squeaked out. 'The things that composed this dish is an utter mystery considering what machines you've used which hid everything well from my senses...it's there but all of us can't tell what because of 'Thermal Sense'...a philosophy of Molecular Gastronomy wherein a dish is constructed based on 'difference in temperature'...'

Even Veteran Gourmets and the RS Calamity had _trouble_, was what dawned on the audience.

'The mousse was made of frozen Foie Gras with Turmeric, and the white part in the center is made of a mix of six different cheeses with potato puree which is also quick-frozen so it should melt gently on the tongue, so you should try some crispy fried batter if your mouth gets cold as the pie which has the fragrance of coriander and other spices should let your tongue rest.'

/Um...is it great?/ Urara squeaked nervously.

'OF COURSE IT'S GREAT!' Andou exclaimed but in utter despair. 'But the words to describe its deliciousness...I don't have them!'

Tsuna gave 20 while the others, 19 totaling 96.

'My...for the RS Calamity to give me a 20~' Alice beamed happily, clapping her hands once. Tsuna gave 20 to only THREE chefs. Hisako, herself, and the older Aldini twin.

'W-who's the RS Calamity here?!' Tsuna sputtered out incredulously, taken aback by what she was called. 'You make me seem like a disaster!'

'You of course! You defeated every RS President in the Academy~ that incident is pretty famous till now! And for losing to a middle schooler who's not even a Tootsuki Student, **they got expelled when word reached the ears of the School Faculty**~' Alice chirped. 'You wouldn't know since you're in a different school...'

'Hah? Really?!' Orie gasped out. 'A middle schooler defeated Tootsuki High Schoolers who received elite Tootsuki Education?! I want you too!' she exclaimed to her fellow judge who sweatdropped.

The last was Tadokoro Megumi, the girl who carved up Goosefish...and the small girl has an incredibly loud fanbase of fishermen waving a 'Great Haul!' flag. Her dish was Goosefish Dobu-Jiru Curry.

Upon eating it, they found themselves in a comfortable, homey mirage sitting around a kotatsu.

'I see myself in a comfortable homey atmosphere sitting in a kotatsu with my family upon eating this dish, Tadokoro-san.' Tsuna smiled while looking utterly comfortable. 'Goosefish Dobu-Jiru normally means you dissolve Goosefish Liver in a pot as it cooks, then what normal people would do would be to add miso and sake to dilute the liver and make it the base for flavor but as our theme is curry, you added spices instead that complements the Goosefish and vegetables well...a sweet-spice mix made of Kogiku Pumpkin, Tachikawa Burdock and Red Daikon that still makes goosefish the main character in your dish.'

'This dish is...you can say it has full of 'human kindness' to it.' Kita added with a rather fatherly smile.

'Erm, I once handled Goosefish when I was young...' the shy chef spoke, 'A dish that gives you the smell and feel of my hometown...that's the Curry I wanted to make!'

She scored 89 as well. Thus she and the younger Aldini are subject to a private final vote...in the end, Megumi claimed the fourth spot.

xxx

After a meeting with the Judges in Hall A and the Elite Ten Administrators regarding the participants who stood out, they went home.

'Hey Tsuna, how did the shy fish girl win the Fourth Spot?' Takeshi wondered aloud in the limo ride home.

'Its because of the Curry Bread.' said Tsuna. 'While the Curry Bread turned Calzone and a local dish turned into Curry so not much change to either dish, it was the Goosefish Curry that won our favor because we all agreed on one thing about it. The dish screamed human kindness and hospitality. Its also a real curry with a lot of well-blended spices in its roux, giving off a strong fragrance while the Calzone was too much tomatoes and less spice, thus not really a curry anymore when we got a second time tasting it...its what cemented the deal.' she said. 'The younger twin made a fatal mistake.' she pointed out. 'His choice of tomato was the really sour kind which washed over what's supposed to be curry. Had he used something like Cherry Tomato which is native here, the spiciness would have been accented by the sweetness and remain a curry. Its what I pointed out in the private vote selection with my fellow judges.'

'Ah...'


	8. Time passes by

Time passes by

Tootsuki...Polar Star Dorm...

Soma was shocked that his friend was invited as a Guest Judge and offered a scholarship here once her high school time comes. That, and while everyone was wary of the Sendawara Sisters, Tsuna was actually the cruelest and the most critical judge in Hall B, being a Chef herself...and they learned of the bet made between her and Isshiki-senpai. Only people she marked with stars in Hall B will make it to the Final Eight and her intuition did it again. She was by now, a feared figure in school and dreaded her being a guest judge again.

And so...in two weeks from now, the Main Tournament will commence.

'So, how are you guys now? Did you pass Dr. Shamal's test?' Tsuna asked her two guardians who nodded.

'Yeah, we're given a clean bill now!' said Gokudera as they left the school infirmary during school time. 'Its thanks to ojousama's work!'

'Well, I'm glad you two are over 'that' now.' Tsuna sighed in relief. She cooked nothing but healthy food made of healthy ingredients she could see in the internet and worked up ways to make them for her guardians who enjoy her bentos but to her, their health and well-being came first more than taste. They also trained together under Reborn, keeping their skills sharp and increasing.

Tsuna worried that at the rate they were going, their yet-to-be-found Sun and Mist Guardian will be horrifically left behind!

Reborn was working on it while the teenagers focused on their main priority. Getting stronger to survive past middle school...and occasionally, spars would break out occasionally in random opponents. They would fight each other BEFORE eating lunch.

The Teachers have long since given up in stopping them since apparently, Kyoya's Family OWNS the school which is why he lords over it AND the employees, and the teen cares more for order 'in his turf' and power than public opinion. At least his grades are high and he terminates any rule-breaking(through fear and pain)...although Tsuna has free liberty for the whole semester because he lost to her in Pole Knocking. But come next year, she would lose her happy privilege in rule-breaking for free.

The rules she broke were uniform rules, her usual tardiness and usage of school facilities particularly the Culinary Classroom willy-nilly. At least she doesn't break anything!

And she's the only one who could control the scary Prefect when he gets too much but she leaves him be 99.9 percent of the time. When the teachers once asked her, she said with a smile,

'He's a drifting cloud in the sky that cannot be bound to anyone and anything. But he watches from afar and strikes when needed. That's how it should be.'

They were at a loss with that.

Not only that, the boys worked to quell what Hibari deems 'trouble' in Namimori. They were often seen by police stopping anything they deem as trouble in the streets...with little violence in the case of Gokudera and Takeshi, while in Hibari's case...wanton destruction and mayhem. Tsuna on the other hand, doesn't do those and instead, provides for the boys and stops trouble in school, not out. While she's perfectly capable of extreme violence and malice, she was much more on the motherly nurturing side with her gentle, caring personality reserved ONLY for the boys(Gokudera ADORES her, Takeshi and Kyoya respects her) and her cooking is extremely delicious, and making the boys bento lunches every day.

People once thought they were exaggerating about her cooking, thus the teachers asked her to skip school for a day and be in charge of the School Cafeteria to cook lunch...with security cameras set up just to be sure she was indeed the one who cooked. And it was the school employees who would be serving and distributing the food of course...upon eating the food...her skill as a chef who received Scholarship to the Elite Tootsuki when she graduates Namimori was cemented clearly and she got famous in school for a new reason among the teachers and employees only. The students bar three, had no idea she cooked Cafeteria Lunch that day.

Seeing their power however...a new rising star rose in Sasagawa Ryohei, the only member of the Boxing Club. In a short time, he too, started to possess the same ripped physique as the three new...Prefects. But because he was a trained Boxer long before he 'changed', he was the most physically ripped out of the boys in school, and began challenging them to fights. Even Tsuna as she could evenly fight with Kyoya.

Tsuna would only fight him if he gets through her overprotective Guardian Gokudera while Takeshi is OK with a friendly spar anytime. And to get to fight Kyoya, the strongest fighter in school...Ryohei was shocked that he has to go through **Tsuna** first as Tsuna is on equal level with him, Kyoya was physically stronger than her even if she's faster than him.

He reluctantly did so because while she's strong, she has a personality of a MOTHER than a girl her age should be. She was by far a nurturing figure...an ideal MOTHER and Lady. That fact was long-ago cemented based on her manner of dress as well.

He **lost** to **her**.

And since then, Ryohei was included in the impregnable fortress that was their clique, and he managed to drag his sister Kyoko into the group...but no more than that. And so, Tsuna took Kyoko under her wing and teach the girl cooking recipes just to make Ryohei catch up to them in health, and the girls talked about cooking and other girly interests, dragging in Kyoko's best friend Kurokawa Hana in while the boys did their best to include Ryohei into the clique. Occasionally, Kyoya drops by but due to his nature, stays quite a distance away.

It was also clear that to get into that group, you have to be strong and skilled and they own the rooftop, Kyoya owns his office but two places can be visited by either one, and Tsuna owns the Culinary Classroom when unused...and as time went by, Ryohei's character made him eligible for Sun. But because of his...hamminess, he has YET to be informed what kind of world they live. They just included him in the group's socialization and activities until he could be trusted with ABSOLUTELY **CLASSIFIED** INFORMATION.

Kyoko was none too happy that Ryohei had to do his part in the group, which was 'Street Cleansing' because that means her brother will fight. Again. That, and Tsuna also fights, but rarely, her job was to maintain peace in school, and has a real knack for sniffing out trouble. Its as if she SENSES trouble and that's why Hibari picked her and had Kusakabe Tetsuya follow her in her 'Inner Job'. She is a true-blue trouble psychic, and they cover two places at once.

The students thought the prefects had a vast intel grapevine, but not really...

Teachers were happier that there are lesser vandals and troublemakers in their school. Especially if they were quick on their feet! Well, Tsuna is in a way, more ruthless than Hibari at any rate.

if Hibari threatens with pain and fear, she has the teachers threaten that if their acts of vandalism or outrageous attendance records aren't fixed, their grades will be affected by **50%**. Uniform violations? Only 3 strikes and earn a **suspension**. Same goes for ID, make-up regulations, gadgets and jewelry if any as the school doesn't want to be liable for loss of items. Hairstyles are lax as long as there's no outrageous hair colors or styles that could get them mistaken for delinquents. Perfume also has no rules! Uniform customization are allowed such as different socks, raising of sleeves or other things, **as long as not one article of complete set is missing or no scandalously indecent customizations.**

This got the student population in a fashion craze that made Hibari twitch, but since there's a LOOPHOLE in the uniform rule, he couldn't do squat.

xxx

Two weeks from now, the gang watched the Autumn Election. The themes were Bento and Ramen on the first day.

'The theme is a Bento according to Isshiki-san right?' Gokudera grinned. 'I hope they can make bento exciting like ojousama can!'

'Maa maa they're Tootsuki Students...' Tsuna chuckled. 'I'm sure the standards will be high...especially when foreign gourmets are taking interest in bento culture lately~'

'A lot of people are horrified that your friend is facing Nakiri Alice though.' said Kyoya with a frown. 'Wonder why?'

'She is the Heaven-Sent Child of Molecular Gastronomy...seven years ago in Northern Europe, she outshone other professionals in the field by the time she was ten, and gained 45 patents to her name, and contracts to make new developments of dishes for 20 different restaurants. She's a cooking artisan before she left Elementary School.' Tsuna spoke with a sweat bead trickling down her head. 'All chefs and all restaurant owners...and anyone in this industry knows her name. Even these adults sitting with us right now.' she said. 'I would know her level since _I ate some_.' she chuckled. WHO could forget her Curry Sculpture? 'With her fame, reputation and the weight of her name...everyone thinks Soma-chan will not stand a chance due to his background...but I beg to differ.' she snorted.

The cooking began with the time limit being two hours.

'Er...for some reason, I feel like she's a DNA Scientist working in a lab when watching her work down there.' Takeshi sweatdropped. 'Is that part of molecular gastronomy?'

'Yep. Only wealthy ones or those with financial sponsors can afford to be in such a profession.' Tsuna shuddered. 'You need those equipment to make it possible as well as mastery of their usage. So I'm curious at what she'll make?' she licked her lips. 'Her Curry Sculpture thingy robbed us speechless~' she would never forget that curry in her life, ever.

'Yeah, not even a famous essayist could write about it.' Gokudera sweatdropped. 'I wonder what they'll make...'

'I'm excited too...Shokado? Ekiben? Hinomaru? Kyaraben? Makunouchi? Kamameshi? Noriben? Shidashi?' Takeshi drooled. 'I'm sure with her skills, Kyaraben is as good as hers so I'm hoping she'd make it!'

'Humm...Kyaraben is in vogue with girls and moms with artistic sense, but Hibari-senpai will kill me if I'm later to school than I usually am...' Tsuna snickered and Kyoya gave her the evil eye for that. The three other prefects sweatdropped.

'No kidding, he's glaring at you already.' said Gokudera wryly.

They went quiet as they watched the two chefs work...and by the time that only 40 minutes are left...they all fell silent.

'...Alice will lose this one.' Tsuna frowned as they watched the two chefs begin to arrange their dishes.

'Yeah...its a Bento theme yet she made it like a sushi platter...that's a bunch of Temari Sushi and Cake Sushi she made!' Takeshi sweatdropped. 'Even if they look good and obviously taste good, she missed the point!'

'Moreover we're frigging Japanese, how can she not know what a Bento is? Its more than food in a box.' Kyoya snorted. They were having bento everyday and they know what a proper bento should be like no matter what the box...Tsuna just prefers the convenience of Lunch Jars.

'Well, she'll learn what a proper bento should be when its tasting time. Considering that old geezer is there she's in for a scary criticism.' said Gokudera as he leaned back into his comfy chair. This time, they were sitting in the area for guests and scouts, courtesy of Isshiki. And all of them wore their school uniform and their prefect armbands.

Soon, presentation came. It was Alice who presented first. Her bento was kept cool by a strange mist inside a glass dome that turned out to be Liquid Nitrogen.

'O-ojousama, is that OK?!' Gokudera asked his boss warily.

'It's OK if in mist form since it'll dissipate in the air harmlessly. Just don't get that inside your body in liquid form or you're a goner.' Tsuna shuddered. 'Imagine your insides, from mouth, throat, and your stomach freezing to ice, possibly shattering, choking you to death while in pain from frostbite?' her Guardians shuddered horribly at the imagination. That's a nasty way to go.

Indeed, Alice's sushi bento has surprises. The espuma turned out to be frothed konbu dashi. The cake sushi are wrapped in vegetables instead of usual nori. She even used centrifugal force just to separate a tomato's pigments, dietary fiber and juice. Even sea bream sushi chazuke!

'Chazuke?! Where?!' jaws dropped.

'Its that weird ball eaten with it.' Tsuna chuckled in amusement. 'It's coagulated and shaped into a sphere so when it melts...yes, you get chazuke. For a bunch of machines you'd normally find in laboratories for crime scene investigations and medical labs, they turned out to be useful for cooking too. It's Soma-chan's bento next...'

He made a Nori Bento.

'...Nori Bento...isn't that something too ordinary and plain?' Takeshi blinked. 'Its even the cheapest in supermarkets!'

'You're wrong there.' Tsuna retorted. 'Indeed it has that image but its the King of Bento because you can practically do anything without straying from the theme. The possibilities are endless. The problem is most Nori Bento Makers aren't that creative, hence it got that sad image. Joichiro-ojisan taught us that so I'm wondering what Soma-chan did with it to counter Alice.'

'...he used a lunch jar.' Kyoya noted. 'It means it probably has soup.'

'Yes.'

But after going through the side dishes and the soup...

'Uh...isn't a Nori Bento supposed to be a nori sheet on rice?' their eyes bulged because they see black 'drops', not a nori sheet.

'...what did he do...that's too big to even be sturgeon caviar...where'd the nori go?' Tsuna croaked out, wide-eyed. The judges took a bite...and gasped.

'They burst open like salmon roe!' one of them exclaimed, '...and what oozes out of them in the flavor of nori!'

'HUUUUH?!'

'I see now...Soma-chan you utter bastard...' Tsuna chuckled in amusement. 'I know what he did now! I can't believe he did it!' she laughed in sheer amusement.

'What did he do?' Kyoya asked her.

'When I started out my apprenticeship, Soma-chan would play with me in the kitchen, teaching me tricks on how to play with liquid food and sauces.' she said, looking back to last year. Don't you remember the cheap candy Nerunerune?'

'...never heard of that.' the eldest guardian twitched.

'Ooh, I did!' Takeshi grinned. 'I bought one just for kicks to make my own salmon roes to make Ikura Sushi...but it turned out to be too sweet than typical roes...my dad would know the difference!'

'We bought sodium alginate and calcium chloride from the pharmacy...and we were on a roll...' Tsuna snickered. 'We made big and small drops of miso soup and sauces...then we didn't know what to do with all that afterward so we gave it to alley cats!'

Soma has one last surprise...a modified kudzu sauce to be poured on the nori rice as a finishing move.

The director then spoke...of what Alice didn't understand about in the bento, and the judges unanimously agreed.

Next up, was Ramen. Tadokoro Megumi VS Kurokiba Ryou.

'We've known of Tadokoro Megumi but we never saw that guy cook.' Gokudera frowned. 'He's in Hall A while we're at Hall B...'

'Sou ne...I wonder what he can do...Tadokoro specializes in 'hospitality cooking' so I wonder what his is...' Tsuna wondered aloud. 'And the theme is Ramen. Its not just soup, noodles and toppings...the difficult part to make is the soup. The Elite Ten sure chose unreasonably difficult themes...'

'They're easy though.' Takeshi pointed out.

'For us who grew up the way we did, it looks that way as we watched our parents cook. But for kids who never saw foods we usually see, this is a challenge for them which is why they had to do research in order to comprehend it. And given that Kurokiba is Alice's aide...he most likely did his homework while Tadokoro knew what to do. Its easy to tell who grew up normal and who grew up rich.'

'He's using fish leftovers for his dashi.' Takeshi mused thoughtfully. 'Not traditional stuff. By using those, its a rich, flavorful soup.'

'Yeah...and seeing they're focusing on the soup and toppings, not the noodles and I don't see any, it means the administration is providing for them.' Kyoya pointed out.

'Yeah. It'll take too much time. Way too much time so the noodles are taken care of as a freebie.' said Tsuna with a snort. 'And the guests and judges don't have time to spare unlike students and school staff.'

'...if that guy used a bunch of fish leftovers and even shells, she used scallops and paitan.' Takeshi noted what Megumi did. 'He really aims for a really flavorful knockout soup while her soup is beautiful and graceful to look at.' he whistled. 'It's beautiful!'

'Yeah but lookit the dude.' Gokudera snickered. 'The way he cooks, he'd really fit right in our crowd! Ojousama's predecessor would want him in his kitchen for the rest of his retirement years!'

'We can see that.' Kyoya scoffed wryly. Soon...he was first. Its a Soup de Poisson ramen, he said. He made a French fish dish into ramen! And Megumi's dish was Kozuyu Chicken Soy Sauce ramen. Because of the fact that it was strong flavor vs strong flavor as Megumi was able to use dried vegetables to make it on par with seafood...she got Ryou's interest in a scary way.

But Ryou was too strong.

'You guys go on ahead.' Tsuna told them as they left the hall. 'I need to see someone.'

'Eh? See who?' Gokudera asked her. 'I'll come with you!'

'That'd be a good idea.' Takeshi agreed. 'We can't be guardians if we left our boss!'

'Uhhh...' boss in question sweatdropped. 'Fine, we'll go together.' they followed her to the halls...to where a certain clique is.

'Sawada-chan's Shitennou!' Yuuki squeaked as Tsuna came with her bodyguards. Shitennou in question sweatdropped while Hibari looked FLATTERED.

'Fufu...its pointless to say congratulations when you had it in the bag since the beginning, Soma-chan.' Tsuna smiled as the older boy grinned with a thumbs-up. 'You even brought our toys to the competition, I definitely didn't see that coming.'

'Well yeah, I got the idea thanks to candy some kids gave me some days ago.' Soma grinned. 'You watched the show eh?'

'Of course...I had to bribe my tutor just so I could come here!' jaws dropped. 'But anyway, I came to see your group with a purpose.' she said as she went serious...and let out her malice that smothered the whole hall when her expression changed to utter menace.

'O-ojousama, who are you mad at?!' Gokudera meeped and all students prayed its not THEM.

'I'm not mad...I'm doing this to discourage...a shadow.' said Tsuna as she walked towards them. 'Its been following your group from afar and they have a target...' and she placed her hands on Takumi Aldini.

'M-me?!' he yelped in fear. 'I didn't do anything!' he sputtered in utter fear because he could not believe the RS Calamity is so...SCARY!

'Of course not...but disaster is following you as we speak...that's why I projected my malice to keep him away for a few minutes.' the clique felt silent. 'During the show, I felt strong, intense eyes...and when we left the hall, you were the target.' the half-Italian twins gulped. 'Should you ever meet...do not lose your cool. Keep cool, screw the rules of your dish and push yourself to see endless possibilities...and exploit your theme as much as possible. If you lose your cool...**you will lose your match.**' she warned him grimly.

'Tsuna's intuition is never wrong, not even once.' said Takeshi. 'If she says you got some stalker, you better watch out kid.' the terrified blonde can only gulp.

'Well, I came here to warn you.' said Tsuna as she stopped her projection. '**I hate creepy stalkers the most**...and its the only time I really get...**violent**. And I want a fair fight, not a victory like this. See you.' and they walked away.

'Is she even capable of violence?!' Ryouko shook Soma's shoulders.

'She's trained!'

'Hiii!'

'N-niichan...you had a stalker and we didn't know?!' Isami panicked. 'What're we gonna do?! A creepy pervert near my brother...!' Takumi shook at this. First the utter malice(for protection which was highly unusual) and now a warning about something he knew long ago but he couldn't tell who!

'...I know...I just didn't tell you.' Takumi shook. 'I didn't want to worry you Isami but lately, my stuff has been slightly moved but nothing stolen...'

'WHAT?!'

xxx

'...he's been stalked to so the opposition would know what he'd make huh?' Takeshi snorted. 'That's the only reason he'd have a stalker. He's a powerful one so he has a stalker studying him to counter him.

'I wanted a fair fight so I warned him.' said Tsuna. 'Too bad we can't watch tomorrow...Reborn's going to send us to some mountain for another survival training this weekend...'

'EHHHHHH?!' Gokudera and Yamamoto are in utter dismay.

'...looks like we'll have a date with death again.' Kyoya sighed. He'd rather fight strong enemies than this!


	9. Chapter Short: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Months passed by as indeed, Reborn no longer allowed them to skip...that its already February.

Well, for a week...Gokudera was made to sleep over at Takeshi's House. Even Reborn!

Tsuna essentially kicked them out for a week.

'Tsu-chan, are you making the boys chocolates?' Nana giggled as her daughter is hard at work, making chocolates.

'Yeah.' said Tsuna. 'Good thing Lambo is on a school trip with I-Pin or he'd eat everything and get Reborn and Gokudera on his case...whew!' Tsuna sighed in relief. 'Well, I better make Reborn's first...'

It was based off siu mai. White chocolate for wrapping, milk chocolate for topping, and under that is dark chocolate with cocoa krispies, and a filling of cream mixed with liqueur fitting for an adult. And to top it off, its even in a caramel and chocolate carved 'steamer' with a carved bottle made entirely of alcoholic chocolate. She then put it in the freezer to cool. Gokudera's chocolate was a very ornate heart-shaped chocolate with a crown(with the decorations in edible food coloring and fruit filling) and white-chocolate wings.

Next was Takeshi's. Its a milk chocolate baseball covered in white chocolate fondant icing, even with red cherry 'strings' with a honey filled center, and she also made a baseball glove to go with it. Next was Kyoya's...which was pure white chocolate 'roses' complete with milk chocolate 'thorns'. Ryohei's was two boxing gloves covered in strawberry and vanilla flavored fondant, and Tetsuya's were a box of different kinds of flowers. It took her six days of hard work, trial and error before...Valentine's Day.

Sunday...

She snuck the chocolates into the Culinary Classroom and turned on the freezer and posted a note on it in print.

**IF YOU TURN THIS OFF I'LL TRACK YOU DOWN THRU YOUR FINGERPRINTS AND KILL YOU**

She just hoped nobody turns it off or the chocolate will be ruined...! She prayed that she would get lucky!

xxx

Sunday night...

'We're back, ojousama.' said Gokudera while slightly blushing. Tsuna kicked them out for obvious reasons.

'Okaeri!' Tsuna chimed, welcoming back her tutor and guardian. 'Saa, dinnertime boys!'

'Hai!'

Gokudera was brimming with excitement and he was also bubbling in nervousness.

The boys in her life knew she made them chocolates and it was a surprise, hence, she kicked them out, and Tsuna told Reborn which is why she had him ensure that Lambo's school would go on a week-long field trip camp just so chocolates meant for others...wouldn't be eaten, knowing the boy's love for sweets.

Well, Reborn and Gokudera definitely did not want their first valentine's sweets from her eaten by the gluttonous kid, which was why the two of them used all means to 'get rid of Lambo' by a 'planned field trip camp' days in advance.

And school the next day, at lunch time...

'Happy Valentine's Day guys!' Tsuna chirped as each boy got big boxes of chocolates from her at the Disciplinary Committee Office.

'O-Ojousama!' Gokudera was not only excited, but touched and in utter tears, too as when they opened their boxes...

'WHOOOOAAAA! EXTREME BEAUTIFUL!' Ryohei exclaimed in delight as his were boxing gloves. Takeshi found his a baseball and glove set, Gokudera found his a winged heart, Kyoya and Tetsuya's were inspired with flowers.

'Thanks, Tsuna!' Takeshi beamed happily.

'Before we eat it, we better take pictures first...you don't see chocolates like these every year!' Tetsuya suggested as the chocolates are clearly NOT Giri Choco.

'Hehehe...she made one even for me too.' Reborn mused as on the school rooftop, his 'chocolate set' was purely edible. The steamer made of caramel and chocolate as well as 'siu mai' are made of different kinds of chocolate with liqueur filling...dee-lish. Heck, she even made one for Dino and Reborn was asked to bring it to wherever heck he is in Japan and his no-good student was happy that she made him some. His were a carved jewelry on a pillow...all entirely of chocolate, fondant icing, and food coloring as well as the pillow turned out to be a secret chocolate edible 'box' containing chocolate truffles. The Cavallone Family had a field day when their boss got such a chocolate.

Well, this is another report to send to CEDEF...and rub in many faces that he got a Valentine's Chocolate from future Decima's own hands. And her chocolates are all big, very big, it'll take days to finish them all!

Kyoya who didn't like sweets, forced himself to eat out of appreciation anyway. It was clearly hard work on the chocolates with extreme efforts, as it took Tsuna a week to make and she was the first ever girl to give him one. Moreover her personal chocolates were just right in sweetness and he had no idea what to feel, honestly.


	10. Lady Vongola's Whereabouts

Lady Vongola's Whereabouts

Things have been normal since Valentine's Day...

Well, almost normal.

'Tsuna.' Kyoya approached her. 'Someone has been attacking our members.' he said. 'I want you to remain in school until this issue has been dealt with.'

'Alright.' and Kyoya left. 'Attacks...who's doing it?' she wondered aloud.

She went to school like normal but she could not help but feel something's really wrong.

Gokudera and Yamamoto are even absent! She assumed Kyoya took them with him.

But still, Kyoya left her to protect the school so she has no choice.

In the world of Mafia, the boss fights last and she's the boss of her family.

So she spent the whole day in school and waited...

But still, not even a phone call.

Fretting, she phoned home.

'Hello, Lambo, is Reborn home?' Tsuna asked Lambo. 'Not home?! Ah, OK...' she put away her phone. She can't contact Reborn as she can't exactly connect to an all-purpose chameleon, can she? Its HIM who does the contacting. She sighed in frustration.

Sundown came...and everyone already left school when she double-checked.

'...sorry senpai but I'm going after all.' she was left out of the loop by the other Committee members...when Kyoko ran towards her.

'Tsuna-chan!' she called out. 'Oniichan wants to see you.'

'Oniisan? He's absent too isn't he?' Tsuna asked her but Kyoko looked troubled.

'Yes but...this morning, oniichan climbed up a bathhouse's chimney, slipped and fell in a really bad way...' Tsuna sweatdropped. 'He's got a lot of broken bones...'

'Good grief, I know he loves boxing and training for boxing but isn't that a bit much?' Tsuna choked out as Kyoko sighed.

'Isn't it? Well, he wants to see you.' said Kyoko. 'And everyone's really nervous...well, a lot of boys are being attacked lately too since last weekend.'

"You really should get the hint." Tsuna thought wryly. 'I'll go see oniisan then. Kyoko-chan, go home with Hana-san for safety until we sort this out. The streets aren't safe lately.'

'Ehhh? But she already went home! Her house is just five minutes away.'

'Er...stay over till I say so then.'

xxx

Tsuna got off the taxicab to Namimori Hospital to see a lot of nervous students. She walked past everyone to visit Ryohei's room.

'Oh, Tsuna-chan, you came.' said Ryohei as Tsuna brought him some snacks.

'Oniisan, everyone's keeping me out of the loop but you won't, right?' Tsuna asked Ryohei hopefully. 'Hibari-senpai made me stay behind. Gokudera and Yamamoto are gone too.'

'Well, those guys are overprotective of you even if you can kick their ass to next week!' Ryohei laughed boisterously.

'That is the case last year but Hibari-senpai worked to be stronger than me again you know.' Tsuna giggled. 'But enough. Tell me what's going on. You even told Kyoko-chan a blatantly incredibly outrageous lie so unbelievable it became believable.' she said wryly. 'Really now, climbing a bathhouse's chimney and fell?' Ryohei looked sheepish. 'And those three aren't back yet...and those three are incredibly efficient so they're never late.'

'...it's Kokuyo.' said Ryohei. 'This morning, I met this weird guy who challenged me to fight...but hot damn!' he exclaimed, 'I want that punch in the Boxing Club!'

'Kokuyo neh...arigatou, oniisan.' Tsuna stood up. 'I'm going to bring back those three. They aren't back...' she fretted.

'I guess they went to another turf and nobody's found them yet...' Ryohei mused. 'You're seriously going?' he then noted her atmosphere change.

'Yes. Those three are very important people to me.' said Tsuna, her eyes going dark. 'I will not let this go. I had Kyoko-chan stay with Hana-chan for a while for safety since you two live alone.'

'Thanks!'

xxx

Next town over...in Kokuyo...

It was nighttime by then.

"Its so eerie in here but they're here." she thought as she stealthily snuck around and followed her instincts while quietly searching, and carrying a medical kit. She found them all locked in separate rooms, too and she found Yamamoto first.

'T-Tsuna!' Yamamoto gasped out.

'You three got me really worried.' said Tsuna as she freed Yamamoto and began cleaning and dressing his wounds. 'What happened?'

'They're pretty good fighters...but the most dangerous one is the kid with the pineapple head.' Yamamoto warned her. 'I don't know how he does it but we see weird things around him...one moment he's gone and then we get beaten up. You shouldn't have come here!'

'And leave my family? No way!' Tsuna pinched his cheek making him yelp in pain. 'Let's go find the others and be as quiet as possible.'

'Right.' and they left the room and closed the door, before going off.

Next, they found Kyoya who was asleep in his room.

'Senpai, wake up!' Kyoya woke up to see himself cleaned up and treated.

'Sawada...I thought I told you to stay?' Kyoya grumbled. He intended on making her stay out of this and she came anyway!

'I have until sophomore year this spring to break rules!' Tsuna huffed, making her oldest guardian twitch. 'Once we find Gokudera, we're out of here. Be stealthy as you can. We're in no condition to fight.'

'Yeah...three of them, and Tsuna's the only healthy one.' Yamamoto grimaced. 'We'll just be deadweight.' they went to find Gokudera who was three floors up and was the worst out of the boys. While Kyoya and Yamamoto can walk, he certainly could not.

'O-ojousama...' Gokudera gasped out. 'Run...'

'Not until we get out of here.' Tsuna said softly as she cleaned him up too and treated him. 'Let's get out of here quietly. Not a sound.' with that, they left Kokuyo using the shadows of the night, taking care not to be in open space due to the moonlight and risk being seen, following her instincts that enabled them to escape safely.

xxx

Hospital...

Tsuna requested a three-bed room so she could easily care for them all.

Gokudera was the worst was because the 'pineapple head' knew of the Vongola while Hibari and Yamamoto only knew that they were to be Tsuna's future guardians and join Vongola someday but not much else after that. Gokudera invoked Omerta on himself and that was why he was the most messed up. Tsuna informed Yamamoto's father that Yamamoto was rescued from a beating and she informed Bianchi about Gokudera and had her send Reborn over.

'I called Reborn over.' she said. 'While the doctors fixed what they could, he could heal you that you can get out of here after we mess up with the records.' she said cheerfully. 'After tomorrow, rest and recover OK?'

'I just want to kill that damn pineapple bastard and be done with it.' Kyoya grumbled, earning him Tsuna's monster glare.

'Take. a. break.'

'...'

'Good.'

'...dumbass.' Gokudera snorted as Kyoya got glared into submission. Yamamoto just laughed weakly.

xxx

Meanwhile, in Kokuyo...

'Ohya ohya...they seem to have fled without us knowing when and how.' they went back to grill Gokudera again but found the locked room unoccupied.

'That whitey is gone!' Ken exclaimed. 'What about the others?!' they went to check two other rooms...also empty.

'...they were rescued.' said Chikusa, pushing up his glasses.

'By who?' Ken growled before he froze, and began sniffing the air. '...soap?'

'Huh?' Chikusa frowned at his companion.

'I smell a really good-smelling soap. Someone's here and whoever this is bailed them out.'

'And managed to avoid Birds' and the Bloody Twins' territory? Impressive.'

'And its someone...small.' Mukuro chuckled as he saw small footprints that could not belong to a male. 'Shall we go on a hunt? Our target...is the female prefect, the one we haven't confronted yet.' he said, taking out a list of paper.

Namimori Middle School Fighting Prowess Ranking

1. Hibari Kyoya  
>2. Sawada Tsunayoshi<br>3. Yamamoto Takeshi  
>4. Gokudera Hayato<br>5. Sasagawa Ryohei  
>6. Kusakabe Tetsuya<p>

xxx

At the hospital lobby...

'Reborn...' Tsuna talked with her teacher who came. 'I got to talk with the guys.'

'What did they say?' Reborn asked his pupil who pulled off a rescue job all by herself which was pretty amazing.

'It was just three boys around Hibari-senpai's age. A guy with glasses wearing a white beanie with a barcode tattoo on the cheek, a blonde guy with a scar across his nose, and a guy with a pineapple haircut with one blue eye and the other, red.' Tsuna described as Reborn paused in his attempt to sip tea(from a vending machine). 'Two names are mentioned but Hibari-senpai never knew the third one's name. All we know is Kakimoto Chikusa and Joshima Ken. Kakimoto uses Yoyos that somehow shoots needles while Joshima is unnaturally strong. And when they all confronted pineapple...they started hallucinating while he was talking. He also knows of Shamal's power and Hibari-senpai somehow got a mosquito bite from him.'

'...sounds like an interesting bunch.' he remarked.

'For three boys from a neighboring school who defeated the guys who received our kind of training and knows Shamal's Mafia name...they're not ordinary people at all.' Tsuna frowned. 'And when I went to Kokuyo...I felt like I walked into a hole I can't get out from. But still, I had to get the boys out.'

'Wait for them to fully recover.' Reborn told her. 'And do not go out alone. I can only go so far with my Flames per day. Too much use will get opposite results. I'll go get details.'

'Hai...thanks for bringing spare clothes, sensei.' Reborn then left her there. 'I have to stay here...'

xxx

Hospital Kitchen...

'Hey, only staff members allowed here!' a chef gasped out but Tsuna ignored them and began cooking. 'Hey!' Tsuna projected her malice that suffocated the whole kitchen. 'Eek!'

'...I'm in a bad mood right now...' she said slowly in a manner that clearly emphasized her bad mood. 'Don't bother me. Oh, I'm cooking for certain rooms for the next day or two. Don't bother.'

xxx

The next day...

'Sensei, what did you get?' Tsuna asked Reborn as she was helping everyone eat, starting with Kyoya first and she was starting on Gokudera when he came.

'I called Dino if he knew the names you mentioned.' said Reborn. 'And you definitely can't go out alone.' he said. 'Not long ago, there was a prison break in Italy.'

'Prison break?' Kyoya frowned.

'Yes...a prison break from a prison meant to hold dangerous Mafioso who have committed grave crimes.' Reborn explained. 'The one who led the prison break is a young man named Mukuro. And they say he came with two subordinates. Then all of a sudden, they enrolled in Kokuyo as Returning Foreign Students when I checked last night. As soon as they enrolled...he took control of all the school's hoodlums. His name is Rokudo Mukuro.'

'R-Rokudo Mukuro?!' Gokudera shrieked in horror. 'No wonder we lost!' he exclaimed.

'...you know that name?' Yamamoto frowned at the bomber's horrified expression.

'What Mafioso wouldn't know that name? Even kids age ten and above in all mafia families in Italy knows that name!' Gokudera sputtered. 'He's the youngest criminal ever to grace Vendicare, the prison Reborn-san just mentioned because he massacred Mafia Family after another...and he was just in puberties at the time! After many families are slain, no one knows who does the killing until one day, they found evidence that he did it. I guess he didn't notice a hidden camera or something but he got implicated with it and then Vendicare took care of him when the Vindice came to arrest him. With him locked up, the tense atmosphere that lasted two years ended. But no one could comprehend that a frigging 13 year old did it all...but when he's locked up, no more killings occurred and then we all just swallowed the facts.'

'No way...a serial killer at just 13? When we're middle school freshmen at that age?' Yamamoto shook in mortified disbelief as Kyoya's expression spoke volumes.

'That sums it up.' said Reborn. 'Indeed, mafia children would know that.'

'To be a killer at a young age...why?' Tsuna shook, horrified by the bomb Gokudera just dropped.

'No one knows why he turned out that way.' said Reborn. 'Yet whatever made him that way must be something else entirely.' he then took out an envelope with a wax seal. 'You also have a letter from the Ninth.' the whole room froze as Reborn took out the letter and began reading it.

**My Dear Vongola Decimo,**

**I have heard from Reborn how much you have grown**  
><strong>and I certainly envy him and your subordinates...really,<strong>  
><strong>living gourmet luxury and incredible Valentines Day's<strong>  
><strong>Chocolates...I would definitely love some next year.<strong>

**It seems the time has come for you to take the next step.**  
><strong>I am giving you an order: Capture Rokudo Mukuro and his<strong>  
><strong>Subordinates and rescue their Captive. I wish you luck.<strong>

**Vongola Nono**  
><strong>Timoteo<strong>

The whole room stared at Reborn in disbelief.

'...Captive? But I saved everyone!' Tsuna sputtered out.

'There must be someone else. And since we didn't know, your instincts didn't register this person.' said Reborn. 'Once the boys fully recover, we will commence a counter-attack and plan this well.'

'Alright...please get us a map of Kokuyo Land then.' Tsuna requested. 'We'll memorize it so we know what to expect. Since its pretty much dilapidated...'

'Er, about that...' Gokudera looked sheepish. 'Its more banged up than before...'

'Stupid idiot used dynamite.' Kyoya grumbled.

'They're my weapons!'

xxx

In Kokuyo Land...

Mukuro, their target kept himself busy reading Fuuta's Ranking Book. But he found a certain name there, and took out a notebook to make his own records using information gleaned.

'Ohya ohya...this looks interesting...' Mukuro grinned as he put down the book.

'What did you find, boss?' Chikusa asked him as Mukuro looked up at his list.

'Interesting facts about our next and final hit. We hit jackpot...and I found us a mafia here.' he then grinned. 'Sawada Tsunayoshi...is Lady Vongola herself. The one who will succeed the geezer in Italy.'

'What did the brat's book say about her, boss?' Ken grinned. 'Something interesting I hope?'

'Yes...I'll read it aloud to you guys.'

1. Strongest Female Fighter among Mafia Daughters(footnote: below age 20)  
>1. The Most Benevolent Boss<br>1. Kindest Boss  
>1. Most Caring and Considerate Boss<br>1. Boss millions would love to work and die for  
>1. Most skilled chef among mafioso<br>1. Most wanted Mafia Lady for marriage(footnote: Reborn said that his reports to Vongola Nono made sure of that)  
>1. Best Candidate for Vongola Family Succession<br>1. Person who would never turn down anyone in need(footnote: she wouldn't as long as its within her ability and resource)  
>1. Scariest Person in Namimori(footnote: has ability to project malice when very, VERY angry or for intimidation)<br>1. Best with Children among Mafia Ladies  
>1. Most likely person to turn the Mafia World Upside-Down<br>1. Most Frighteningly Accurate Instincts(footnote: she's never wrong not even once, and uses ability to win luxurious vacations for free/money  
>off lotteries according to Reborn and her subordinates really trust this...especially when sniffing rule-breakers in school)<br>1. Gambler No One Would Ever Want to Play With(footnote: see Accurate Instincts)  
>1. Wanted Ideal Wife(footnote: if you're lucky in winning her heart)<br>1. Last Person to Mess With(footnote: do you really want her malice projected at you?)  
>1. Boss Who Will Lead The Family to Golden Age<p>

'...er...did that kid really get that right?' Chikusa asked, highly skeptical. 'That's way too many top spots on certain rankings.'

'This kid is highly known for his accuracy and it only messes up when raining. I doubt he'd make rankings on rainy weather.' Mukuro closed his notebook. 'Shall we see her?' he smiled. 'She would most likely be...'

xxx

Namimori Hospital...late afternoon...the boys finally got out of Hospital courtesy of Reborn's Sun Flames. He healed Ryohei when he was asleep as he is still unaware of the Mafia World but he's also needed for the fight.

'We seem to have made it on time.' Tsuna muttered as they left the hospital.

'Did your instincts act up?' Kyoya asked her.

'Danger draws near...we should find a place where we won't involve anyone.' said Tsuna grimly. 'Since its still weak, they're pretty far. I'd know if they get close. It took me four hours to get to Kokuyo on a bus, so...sometime during the day soon.'

'OK, so who'll be with us in fighting them? We lost to them one on one.' Yamamoto wondered aloud.

'...teamwork for one or if we're really pushing it, we could use the 10 Year Bazooka to give us a fighting boost.' Tsuna suggested. 'I wonder what we're like ten years from now?'

'Us ten years from now...' Gokudera croaked out, wide-eyed in wonder. 'Let's go home and see!'

xxx

Sawada Residence...

Tsuna was hit first with the Bazooka in question, and to their amazement, she grew up to be a very attractive young woman in a white shirt, black blazer and tie, and a pencil skirt with buttons at the right side to close up a rather high slit. She also wore black pantyhose and heels.

'Oh my! This room feels really nostalgic!' she exclaimed and Reborn noted she's wearing a different-looking Vongola Ring...with an additional accessory. Not only that, she also has six gold rings in other fingers. If he thought of it deeply, its practically a rainbow ring set but Green was missing. 'What date is it today?'

'The day we're about to fight Mukuro actually.' Reborn told her as Adult Tsuna sighed in nostalgia.

'Ah, this day then...' she mused. 'Maa, for all his crimes, just understand where he came from since it motivated him to all that.' she said with a sad smile. 'Once you win him over, he's not so bad. In fact, he'll work for your Tsuna someday just like he did with us and be released from prison someday.'

'EHHHH?!' Gokudera and Yamamoto squawked incredulously.

'I'm not kidding~!' Adult Tsuna giggled. 'Earning his respect is a tough one given his past though.'

'And what's with the many rings on your fingers, besides the obvious Vongola Sky Ring?' Reborn asked her again and Tsuna blushed. Blushed so demurely it was ADORABLE.

'Uhm...I'm married to five guys?'

'HAAAAAH?!' even Kyoya squawked at that.

'Exactly what I said!' Tsuna smiled. 'And we're all living together too~ and I'm currently two weeks pregnant with twins and this is the third pair.' she said, rubbing her stomach fondly. 'I'm not saying who the fathers are though...'

'Fathers...you got them In Vitro?' Gokudera squeaked. That was the only way to have twins or triplets with different fathers.

'Yes...I'm just like mom.' said Tsuna with a rather sad smile. 'I may be a strong fighter but the older I go, the harder pregnancy will be for me. The scientists said by the time I'm 27, if I get pregnant and give birth, I won't survive.' that fact splashed all of them with imaginary cold water. 'So the option for me is to have my Egg Cells Taken on my fertile days, and do the In Vitro process until I'm 26. At 26, I'll stop.'

'Is it that necessary to have so many children, Tsuna?' Yamamoto fretted worriedly.

'Well, in the laws of Vongola...only a child of both Vongola Bloodline and a possessor of Sky Flames can inherit.' said Tsuna. 'Vongola Settimo did the same thing I did...having many children with two wives until Vongola Ottavo was born. And we can't tell which child has Sky Flames until they're five years old so this is what we call 'necessary craziness'. My husbands and I aren't too happy since I'm forced to be a baby popper for this purpose but we love our children all the same.' she sighed. 'Well, given how I'm here with the Ten Year Bazooka, I'll be gone soon...ja ne~' and she was gone three seconds later with young Tsuna who looked like she was in utter shock.

'Tsuna...you OK?' Yamamoto asked their boss who was stunned speechless in shock.

Before fainting backwards.

'Ojousama?!' Gokudera wailed. 'What did the future do to you?!'

'Looks like her future husbands got too affectionate and she got stunned as to WHO they are.' Reborn chuckled. 'Future Iemitsu probably got a heart attack that his baby girl is happily shared by five different men.'


	11. How Namimori Easily Beats Kokuyo

How Namimori Easily Beats Kokuyo

The three Guardians were frozen at the thought that Tsuna got married to five different men in the future, and that they're happily sharing her so they must've been very good friends with each other to make such an unbelievably incredible thing possible.

Their Tsuna fainted from shock and who knows what she's seen in the future.

When she woke up courtesy of Reborn attempting to jump on her, in which she woke up quickly to dodge...yep, those instincts never ceased to fail.

'Sooo Tsuna, what did you see in the future?' Yamamoto asked Tsuna curiously.

If Adult Tsuna blushing is so adorable...even more so in her younger self. Even though they fidgeted the same way.

'Uhm...ah...some really incredible men calling themselves my husbands...' she said. 'I-I can't believe that's m-my future...' she squeaked meekly in embarrassment. 'Um...I know who they are...b-but they said not to tell...or the future will mess up...and...' blush even a darker red. 'I saw my future children...they're all so adorable...I appeared in a really huge fortified bedroom with no windows with the only thing separating us and our children is bulletproof thick glass so we can be sure of their safety. And we're by the door while our children are far from the door and behind the glass. And the way we're all going...each of my husbands has one child each with me...but one of them wanted a second child so...'

'And? And?' Yamamoto grinned.

'Through scientific manipulation, all of them are sons and one daughter...the on-the-way one.'

'Whoaaa...'

'How I managed that is beyond me...and some of my...ulp...husbands...' she squeaked. 'A-are...' if possible, all blood would have gone to her head by now. 'TOO affectionate...'

'OK, enough, anymore blood to your head would be bad for your health.' Kyoya snarked.

Because of that, they forgot what they wanted to do originally.

xxx

By late afternoon however, one hour after lunch...they waited outside Namimori...and indeed, they came.

'Ohya ohya, you came ready for us. How thoughtful.' Mukuro smirked as he came...with Ken and Chikusa. 'And nice to finally see you, Lady Vongola.'

'...and how did you come to know of that?' Tsuna asked him curiously with no hostility whatsoever.

'A little birdy told us...now then, shall we settle things here today?' Mukuro smirked.

'Then how about you and me have it private, Mukuro-kun?' she said to her Guardians' disbelief.

'Haa?! But ojousama!' Gokudera protested.

'I'll be fine, Gokudera.' Tsuna smiled at her protesting guardian. 'I have my reasons. We'll just be one minute away from here, is all.' and she turned her back to leave.

'Is that girl stupid?!' Ken chuckled darkly in amusement. 'And she's to be Vongola Decimo with that kind of stupidity?'

'If she was, she wouldn't be my most trusted at the Committee.' Hibari snarked. 'Just get on with it you damn pineapple-head!'

Mukuro twitched.

'P-pineapple?'

'Are you hard of hearing now you damn fruit? You're practically wearing a pineapple on your head.' the others choked. Fruit may sound innocent enough but to call a male THAT implies something...

Mukuro shook and a Trident appeared out of nowhere...he's clearly pissed and his subordinates gulped. To them, no one called Mukuro a pineapple and got away with it alive.

Little did they know there's more.

'H-Hibari-senpai, do you realize what you just called him?!' Tsuna squeaked in wide-eyed comical mortified horror.

'No one called him THAT and lived after that.' said Chikusa in a deadpan voice.

'I called him a fruit since he looks like one, what of it?' Kyoya asked her uncaringly. Yamamoto gave him a WTF? look while Gokudera palmed his own face in exasperation at his choice of words because...well...having a serial killer angry at you is pure suicide! Ken and Chikusa on the other hand, are not only spooked because Kyoya spoke 'taboo', but are also wondering why the other boys reacted like they did...

They soon found out in two seconds.

'Hibari-senpai, to call another man a 'fruit' or 'fruitcake' _implies that you think he's gay_!' Tsuna choked out as Ken and Chikusa sputtered on their own spit and Mukuro looked angrier...and oddly enough, its because of what she just said. The prison inmates had NO idea of modern social slang these days and they had no idea being called a fruit implies you're gay! Ken and Chikusa looked nervously at Mukuro who was ready for MURDER.

'Ah, so that's how it is?'

'It is! You really should spend more time socializing with people!'

And all hell broke loose because Mukuro looked ready to kill Kyoya.

'Ohya, looks like someone is way too eager to die today.' Mukuro smiled darkly, while still shaking in anger as he walked forward, given the attack to his own masculinity...he's not gay dammit!

'I think its you who should die.' Kyoya growled as he got his Tonfas ready.

'Mukuro-kun, we're supposed to talk while everybody else fights!' Tsuna wailed in a whining manner but the criminal was so angry...

'Looks like being called gay set him off...' Reborn deadpanned as all hell broke loose. Literally. He sighed. Oh well, its their job, really...and its not Kyoya who pissed off Mukuro, it was Tsuna who merely explained away the insult...but Mukuro targeted Kyoya for some reason...

And by being angry, Mukuro was prevented from using his Illusions on them, so they had an easy time winning.

Usage of illusions needed focus and imagination after all.

Not from afar, the Vindice was there, watching...and the first to fall was Chikusa. Upon his defeat, Reborn tied him up. Ken was harder to defeat because of his Dental Cartridges that enables him to change form and Mukuro turned out to be as skilled as Kyoya if not for his illusions. They also caused considerable environmental damage.

The difference?

There was a good reason why Mukuro has high evasion skills.

He was physically vulnerable.

Well, going to prison can do that to you.

'...that wraps it up.' Kyoya grumbled as the three criminals are defeated.

'Reborn-sensei, what do we do about the Captive?' Tsuna gasped out as she shakily stood up from her fight with Ken with Gokudera while Yamamoto handled Chikusa before aiding them.

'Shamal is off to rescue him in Kokuyo Land.' Reborn told him. 'The Captive was Ranking Fuuta, and a man named Lancia.'

'Fuuta?!' both Tsuna and Gokudera yelped.

'No wonder we haven't seen him around lately...' Tsuna swore. 'He was staying over but didn't go home for days...' then she froze. 'Whoever you are, come out, now!'

She got what she wanted. Tall people in black coats and hats, with bandages all over. Chains shot out with a shackle at the end, clamping noisily around their necks.

'Gokudera...you said you wanted to see what the Vindice looks like?' Reborn pointed out as they came with an ominous presence. 'Well, here they are now.'

'T-they're the...Vindice?' Gokudera gulped nervously as the Namimori Teens could only watch as the Vindice came to retrieve the criminals.

'...who are they?' one of them spoke at Reborn before glancing at the teenagers. 'Arcobaleno.'

'The girl is Vongola Nono's successor. Vongola Decimo-in-Training Sawada Tsunayoshi.' Reborn introduced the kids. 'The white-haired guy is Gokudera Hayato, Storm Guardian Candidate. The guy with the tonfas is Hibari Kyoya, Cloud Guardian Candidate. The guy with the broken sword is Yamamoto Takeshi, Rain Guardian Candidate.'

'I see...pleasure...now then, we shall carry these criminals away, Vongola...' said another. 'We have retrieved the others as well...' and they were gone, dragging the trio away.

'Well, we got lucky when Hibari insulted Mukuro's manhood.' Reborn sighed. 'You made him angry enough to keep him from focusing. Had he focused, we would've lost and the Vindice would have had to save us, and make Vongola owe THEM. And owing the Vindice a debt is tantamount to paying up real big and nobody wants that. By what you kids told me, Mukuro is an Illusionist.'

'Illusionist?' Tsuna asked him.

'Aa. Besides Flame Users, there are also Psychics.' said Reborn. 'Illusionists are considered Psychics as well. They make you see what they want you to see. And if you believe those illusions are real even for a blink, they can harm you for real. And prolonged exposure would result in Illusion Poisoning in your minds. I wanted Tsuna to experience this in real combat as training but since you pissed him off, we got an easy win. Ah well.' he chuckled. 'I will report to Nono about mission success...but Tsuna, why did you want to talk to Mukuro so badly?'

'Er...can't talk about it, sorry...the future asked me to keep quiet.'

xxx

And so...with the battle starting comically that ended up pretty easy for them, Reborn got stricter because the boys all lost to Mukuro. Tsuna would never lose due to her intuition but she would still have difficulty as some illusions can be pretty convincing if well-made. And considering the youngest inmate to ever grace Vendicare...

Leave it at that.

However, one month before Spring Break...

Tsuna and Mukuro met.

With Mukuro possessing a young child. The child has the same right eye as Mukuro. Red with number 6 on it instead of an iris and pupil.

'Konnichiwa, Mukuro-kun.'

'Saluti, Lady Vongola.' Mukuro spoke coolly. 'I remember that you wanted to speak with me alone.'

'Maa maa, I'm not Lady Vongola yet, I haven't even underwent the Inheritance Ceremony yet...can you put a privacy illusion around us?' Tsuna giggled as they sat at a bench together. 'I came here to tell you something...that the adult you told me when I got shot with the Ten Year Bazooka and I met the adult you.' she chuckled. 'You grew up to be a very good-looking man.'

'Hooo? By how you sound, I'm with you of that time.' Mukuro narrowed his eyes. 'How?'

'Sou. If you're skeptical, you can search my memories...much easier that way since speaking of it sounds too far-fetched for the current Mafia-Hating you. Though we can't really blame you...the Ten Years me told my present Guardians that we really can't blame you for how you turned out but not much detail about that...and somehow in the future, we were able to negotiate your release and a free man from Vendicare.' Mukuro's eyes widened at that. 'And became a very important to future me. Wanna see?' she felt a powerful mental presence enter her mind...with Mukuro searching her memories to the part when she ended up in the future.

He was sharing her with her other guardians and she gave them a son each, with one daughter on the way. If Adult Tsuna wore six wedding rings(with the sixth being her symbolic ring), the men wore a different wedding ring identical with each other. A ring wherein it has two stones. One stone representing their flame colors and the other being Tsuna's flame color.

He also saw his adult self who is her Mist Guardian telling young Tsuna about their future as a big...incredible family. Five men sharing one wife who loved them all equally and all of them OK with it enough to share one big bedroom?!

It was...too bright. Too bright for the current him to comprehend.

'Hora ne?' Tsuna smiled as Mukuro left her mind.

'It doesn't really help that he didn't say how will I be free.' Mukuro scoffed bitterly.

'It must be something big that all of us will go through. Big enough that the Vindice agreed with us to let you out of there. It must be one big impression or whatever negotiation...they never said it because we'll learn on our own.' she told him. 'Someday within these ten years...you'll be out of there. Until then...please wait.' she told him kindly. 'We'll definitely find a way out how.'

'...' Mukuro thought about it. It was too surreal. TOO surreal. A future where he was free, a future where he was happily married to a Mafia Lady of all things, sharing him with four others whose face he knew TOO well and his son was the third to be born, even looks like him if not for the brown hair. Adult Mukuro didn't say the name though. Jerk. At least his son has his surname...

He has a wife and child...but due to Tsuna's internal frailty like her mother the older she goes, she had to have children as early as possible thus had to be scientifically manipulated to she would always have twins, get them in vitro to have different fathers so every man has a child, and get herself sterilized before age 27. That would mean removal of her Ovaries or some other things...he was still a tad uncomfortable with anything related to science due to his past yet his future family is comfortable with it. Even him.

Had he changed that much in ten years?

Moreover, how and when the hell did they marry? Given ten years from now, Tsuna would be 24 and she's pregnant with a third pair of twins...he did the math.

xxx

'You're late!' Reborn chided as Tsuna came home with the groceries.

'Sorry~ there's a really long line!' Tsuna cheerfully lied with a smile to match to hide the fact she did. 'Well, dinner will be ready soon so just wait~!'

From afar, Mukuro possessed a bird and watched the house...


	12. Here comes the Varia!

Here comes the Varia!

As the months go by...a cute girl with a pineapple-style hairdo came to the Sawada Residence. She wore an eye patch over her right eye. She's so quiet, shy and meek which doesn't help the adorable factor.

However, behind this cute girl...is what pissed Tsuna off after seeing a dream Mukuro sent to her about this girl.

Kirishima Nagi lived an anti-social, isolated life as her mother is a famous superstar and her father who cared more for work than their daughter. As a result, she never opened up to anyone except Mukuro. Not long ago, she was in an accident that cost her her right eye and some of her internal organs, which Mukuro replaced with Illusions so she could stay alive even though the girl didn't care whether she lived or died, given where she came from. She even heard her own mother say callous things in the ICU, complaining to her husband about Nagi's condition and how she fails to understand the girl who no one wants alive. She was unwilling to sacrifice herself for her and is shown to be upset about who she is.

Due to this, Mukuro 'adopted' Nagi and gave her the name 'Chrome Dokuro', an anagram for Rokudo Mukuro.

In response to this, Tsuna had taken Chrome to Shamal in a bid to find her possible compatible organs and a new eye as her callous mother refused to donate hers, leaving her daughter to die if not for Mukuro's interference...and Tsuna asked Reborn for Nono's help in adopting Chrome into the family by taking her away from her parents...at gunpoint or threatening on exposing their 'secret' if they had to, given the fact that the mother is a famous actress. Chrome would now be her little sister since the girl is nearly a year younger than her...and about to graduate Grade School if not for her accident. The records are to be manipulated into that she's a Sophomore Middle Schooler so she would be in the safety of the Vongola Members in school. Tsuna even asked Mukuro to ahem, muck with her mother's memories that Chrome is an orphan relative they took in after surviving an arson crime, her parents didn't. NOW Vongola had to make that story happen in Chrome's new forged records.

This was the first time Tsuna has shown her ruthlessness as a Mafia Member even if its for a good cause and Mukuro was astonished that she used her power in such a way.

Indeed, it was done in a matter of weeks, but Chrome wanted to keep the name Mukuro gave to her, and they were OK with it. That, and because of compatible mental and psychic wavelengths between the two as Mukuro uses her as his vessel, Chrome awakened her powers as an Illusionist. Mukuro is now a frequent guest, appearing at night(much to Gokudera's initial horror that he could be in two places at once, when Nana looks away). Mukuro possesses a random bird when Chrome is training though...and watches as Chrome was having trouble adjusting to her new life after styling her hair similar to Mukuro's in memory of the first-ever person kind to her. Her parents are neglectful in all forms bar her education, she was having a hard time getting used to a fun, cheerful mother who doted on everyone in the house. She never had a caring parent, she now has one, with the others helping her adjust. In response, Chrome became eager to please and starting to grow as a person.

Tsuna emphasized that Nana has NO idea that her husband and child are involved in the Mafia and she likes it that way for many, many reasons.

Reborn wondered how many more is Tsuna going to 'adopt' at this rate...she adopted Gokudera(he gets monthly allowance from his family though), Lambo(his family had enough of him and his behavior and sent him on a suicide job to get rid of him), I-Pin(she mistook Tsuna for her target due to a horrible eyesight and Tsuna's spiky hair looked similar and Tsuna did NOT want to see child killers so soon), Fuuta(under Tsuna's protection from the Mafia) and now Chrome, formerly Kirishima Nagi. Chrome would be Mukuro's vessel...should things go south. The fact that a psychic famous criminal took to visiting the Sawadas made Vongola nervous yet Tsuna trusts him well and she and Chrome were never being controlled or manipulated. Reborn would know if he did. How the heck that happened, was anyone's guess...until Reborn had his suspicions.

Tsuna said she has five husbands. FIVE and they're all happily living together with one son per man sharing the same room and an on-the-way daughter through In Vitro and scientific manipulation. One of the husbands must be Mukuro himself, and Tsuna showed him the future by letting him into her mind. And given the stones on her wedding rings, her husbands are none other than her guardians and Mukuro became her Guardian. Its the only way to explain why Tsuna is comfortable around him. If Mukuro has a son with her ten years from now in that happy future, of course he would stick around so he could be with that son.

Reborn made her talk with him in private about the future she had seen when she switched with her adult self.

Even the Arcobaleno reeled at WHO her husbands are, proving his suspicions correct. Mukuro was surprising enough as it is!

Needless to say, that info dump on Vongola Nono and Iemitsu through Shamal's computer sent the men reeling from shock and utter disbelief.

The house is getting bigger and bigger that Reborn suggested that they build a new wing for more bedrooms or it'll get TOO crowded.

The living situation?

Gokudera, Fuuta, Reborn and Lambo share the Guest Room. Gokudera and Fuuta share the bed, Reborn sleeps in a Hammock he propped up, and Lambo sleeps on the floor, wanting to sleep on a 'place that stays still', unable to sleep on a bed. He can't even sleep on a Futon or put his head on a pillow! His thick afro hair is pretty much, his pillow. The only bed thing he DOES have, is a blanket and pajamas.

I-Pin, Chrome and Tsuna...share her room. I-Pin, being a martial artist, trains by sleeping...on a thick rope suspended up in the air, held in place by hooks and its two feet off the floor so if I-Pin falls, its of no harm. Chrome uses the 'second bed' that can be pulled out under Tsuna's bed...but at night, Mukuro would move in into Tsuna's bed as his right as her future husband. But that's as far as he goes...and only Tsuna knows of this or spend time talking in 'dream world' while their bodies sleep. But he goes away during the day lest his real body dies if he's out too long. He would only appear every after school, controlling some rich schmucks(most often, Chrome's parents) into giving Ken and Chikusa money in Kokuyo on Weekends, giving them a decent lifestyle. And they bought a parrot for Mukuro to possess and a bird perch.

As a bird, he doesn't eat bird food. He shares Tsuna's food.

When Summer into the Sophomore Year ended...

Second Semester started.

'Mama? You're cooking?' Tsuna teaches her mother how to cook, and often makes her mother watch her Lesson Videotapes to be as skilled and knowledgeable as her. And now, Nana's cooking with Chrome 'inheriting' the tapes, with Tsuna teaching was wasn't on the tapes. AKA Basics.

'Ufufu! Today's special!' Nana squealed in glee.

'Special? Whose birthday is it today?' Tsuna asked her curiously.

'Your daddy's coming home after several years!'

'Heee...sou ka...' Tsuna forced herself to smile... 'Well, carry on then...'

Gokudera and Reborn watched her carefully and looked VERY wary as if she'd explode, while the kids are playing around while Nana cooked.

Chrome looked clueless. Why is Reborn and Gokudera...wary? Isn't Bossu-neesama's father coming home a good thing?

She soon found out when Tsuna made bento...and the way she cut and chopped things with her knife? She looked as if she's ready to kill someone!

'G-Gokudera-kun, what's going on?' Chrome asked Gokudera while they watched TV in the living room. 'Why is Bossu-neesama behaving weird today?'

'Er, her father is a very, VERY bad thing to talk about.' Gokudera whispered. 'Ojousama really hates her father since he's never home in years so there's bad rumors popping up by gossipy housewives hurting her mother.' he explained. 'We never speak of it but Nana-sama doesn't know ojousama hates her father and even reference to him is enough to set her off.'

'Hooo? Do elaborate, Gokudera.' Mukuro asked him as he perched on the silverette's shoulder.

'Aneki was originally ojousama's tutor and she was supposed to be a Lady to be married off to bear a Vongola Heir but after uh...going berserk on aneki when she mentioned HIS name, its decided that she has Boss potential. Anything involving and related to him sets her off...you can be sure she'll be in a bad mood at school today...aneki is here but merely seeing her sets her off so she lives in an apartment somewhere...'

Indeed, its as he says.

On the way to school and inside school...

Tsuna looks the same as ever...

Bar the fact that she's emitting her malice that she spooked the whole school today...

'S-Sawada-san...please tone down your malice, p-p-please?!' a nervous teacher wheezed out from sheer fear and his response, was a shoe at the face.

Something the normally nice girl never does before. Gokudera(who went to retrieve said shoe), Yamamoto, Chrome, Hana and Kyoko GULPED.

By lunch time...she asked Kyoya to 'help her vent' before they eat.

Cue all-out battle in the streets outside school grounds.

'...Uweeeehhh...she's really pissed off!' Yamamoto shuddered in fear as Tsuna and Kyoya are going ALL OUT.

'She's going all out and Hibari-senpai looks HAPPY that she's going all out.' Kyoko sweatdropped.

'I wanna join too...but what's going on and you guys extremely won't let me?!' Ryohei whined unhappily. 'There's an EXTREME fight going down there and I'm extremely missing out!'

'That's because something made her really, really angry and the only one who can help her vent without getting trashed is Hibari-senpai because they're equal in skill and strength.' Gokudera grunted. 'Had you joined in, you'll be back in the hospital!'

'Uso?!' Kyoko squeaked out. 'They're equal in those?!'

'Sorry senpai but you sit out this one! Ahahaha!' Yamamoto laughed weakly.

'Muuu...that looks extremely fun and I'm missing out...this is extremely not fair.' Ryohei sulked.

'If you wanna die go ahead, monkey.' Hana snarked. 'They're causing property damage either way.' she said as never mind the fists and kicks, their own frigging bodies are weapons itself in causing cracks and dents everywhere...

xxx

Ten minutes before end of lunch break...

'Huuu...'

'Satisfied, Sawada?' Kyoya asked his boss who nodded. The streets are full of cracked road asphalt, and walls have dents in it. And Tsuna lay on the streets, defeated. Even if they're equal in skill and strength, Kyoya's body as Cloud Guardian with his flame's ability made him more physically resilient and durable. Compared to him, she's a frail thing.

'Aa. Thanks, senpai.' Tsuna sighed as Kyoya pulled her up.

'Sakki all day and you asked me to spar with you...I think the apocalypse is coming.' Kyoya snorted as they went back to school together. From afar, Mukuro watched.

'Fufufufu...all this just because of one old man? My my my...' he chuckled in amusement. He really felt sorry for his father-in-law...his daughter wants to beat the hell out of him should he show up...

xxx

Well...

Sometime later that week, downtown in a shopping area that sunday...

'I seriously can't believe how you convinced me to accompany you shopping...' Mukuro, being in a parrot sighed as he perched on Tsuna's shoulder.

'Maa maa, we girls need our guys opinion~' Tsuna smiled. 'Because we want to look good for guys we like! Neh, Chrome-chan?' Chrome blushed stark red.

'Uh h-hai...' she squeaked while fidgeting.

'Ojousama, who are you talking about?' Gokudera(whose job was luggage flunky) asked her. 'You know that Vongola Nono has to approve of them first...'

'Ohhh he'll approve very, very much!' Tsuna giggled girlishly. 'It'll be years from now since we're too young though~! So we're willing to wait!'

Mukuro wondered how the hell did the old geezer approve HIM.

'I wonder what kind of men they are if he approved and they're not even in our kind of society...'

Mukuro just cackled. The geezer definitely approves! So they shopped in various boutiques in the mall, buying new clothes and shoes.

Mukuro favored the stylish variety while Gokudera was in favor of the 'demure, princess' look in simple, but cute dresses.

Due to Tsuna's figure from her diet and training, she was more into Mukuro's style while Chrome's nature more suited Gokudera's. Tsuna...is definitely no 'demure princess'. Chrome who was still in training definitely fits the bill however. Then they ate out in an ice cream parlor together with an outside eating area...

And cue an explosion...then two...and three...

'...so much for a nice peaceful day...' Tsuna twitched.

'Ojousama, we better scram!' Gokudera cried in alarm as he somehow managed to get all shopping bags hanging on his arms and took Chrome for cover while Tsuna protected Mukuro's bird body.

And a boy fell from the building...with blue flames on his temple and Tsuna had to catch him.

'Well, shit.' Mukuro deadpanned. 'A mafia fight.'

'And to think Namimori is MY territory...they sure have balls.' Tsuna growled as she activated her own HDWM.

'Ohya, you can do that without getting shot now?' Mukuro mused, impressed.

'Yeah...Reborn-sensei is a sadist and you oughta know that by now...Gokudera-kun!' Tsuna called out. 'Take Chrome-chan home!'

'Er, he takes the **stupid bird** home.' Mukuro coughed as he moved to Chrome's body, leaving the parrot in Tsuna's hands...rather, on the boy's body.

'A little warning?!' Gokudera freaked out as he was STILL holding Chrome before she became Mukuro. When the change occurred, he jumped away from him. 'Its weird for two guys to hug you know!'

'Oh shut up.' Mukuro snarked as Tsuna sheepishly put the boy down and gave Gokudera the hypnotized parrot.

'Gomen ne Gokudera-kun...but this parrot has one hour till the spell is off...'

'Alright. I'll be back as fast as I can!' and Gokudera left with their shopping and the parrot.

'Now then...' Mukuro glanced at the younger boy who groaned where Tsuna put him.

'O-ow...' he choked out at his bodily pains when he saw Tsuna and Mukuro. 'T-Thou?!'

"Who the hell uses 'thou' in 21st century? He does." Mukuro deadpanned blandly, staring at the kid.

"Whoever thought him Japanese must be an idiot!' Tsuna sweatdropped.

'Vooooiiii!' they looked up to see a foreign man with long hair whose good looks aren't so bad, dressed in black leather and a blade attached on his left wrist. 'What's this? A bunch of outsiders making a crowd? Any piece of trash that gets in my way will be cut! Orraaaa!' and he began waving his sword that produced offensive 'wind blades and shock waves' at them, prompting Tsuna to react with her flames and made a barrier.

'W-wow, I haven't gotten that far in my training yet...' the boy gasped out. 'You're amazing, Sawada-hime!' he exclaimed in awe.

'If you have a sadist baby for a teacher for a year and half, anyone can do this!' Tsuna grunted.

'Hooo? That's a pretty interesting trick you got there, trash!' the man whistled in interest. 'Who are ya?!'

'None of your business.' Tsuna stated coldly. 'And this town is MY Territory, and you're screwing around.'

'Like I care!' the man lunged and Tsuna fired a volley of flame arrows in high speeds...and cue Mukuro's illusions of an Earthquake and Lava spewing out.

'Shit!' the man gasped out as actual lava began coming out...and he ran away.

'Eek!' the boy yelped but Tsuna just covered his eyes and whispered, 'Don't believe what you see or you're gonna die. Oh, and be quiet too.' she whispered as the boy meeped and stayed put...

'...its over now.' Tsuna removed her hand from the boy's eyes...before rubbing her temple. 'Uhhh!'

'Sawada-hime!' the boy gasped out as Tsuna reeled from a migraine.

'Uhhh...s-shouldn't have done that...' Tsuna groaned, clutching her temple with her hands. 'Headache...'

'Yare yare, you haven't gotten that far and you forced yourself on your stunt today. You'll be feeling that one for hours.' Mukuro chuckled and picked her up bridal style.

'Well, Varia is here, I have to do that much.' Tsuna griped as she snuggled into him for comfort while clutching her head. 'He's the current Sword Emperor, Superbi Squalo, Second-in-Command and Strategy Captain to boot.' Mukuro then glanced at the kid.

'Go get us a taxi. Now.' he grunted when more people came. Dino and his guard.

'Aniue!' Tsuna gasped out as Dino went schweet and all squealy much to collective sweatdrops.

'S-she called me 'aniue'...t-that's just too cute!' he exclaimed shrilly in delight. 'My beloved little sister I'm here to get you out before Squalo gets back~!'


	13. Getting Ready

Getting Ready

Sawada Residence...men are present in her room. Reborn, the boy who introduced himself as Basil, Dino, Romario, Gokudera and Mukuro.

'So you used your flames in such a manner even though you're not ready for such without the help of a ring...' Reborn sighed as Tsuna was on bed trying to stave off her head's discomfort with a pillow. 'You're a dummy but given the situation, I can't blame you. It's Squalo after all.'

'She knew Squalo?!' Dino squawked out at his ex-teacher.

'Of course. She asked me Vongola Lessons, of course she'd know that much.' said Reborn airily. 'She's taking her training seriously if only to avoid 'a certain unwanted fate'.'

'What's he doing in Namimori anyway?' Tsuna grumbled. 'Attacking a teenager at that!'

'Tsuna...the thing is, the rings are on the move.' Tsuna froze at Dino's words.

'Half or whole?' she asked him seriously with narrowed eyes.

'...half...' Dino blinked as Tsuna's expression said it all.

'Reborn...what's going on here?' Tsuna forced herself up, holding the ice bag to her head. 'My position is set in stone, as well as that of my guardians. Didn't Nono say so? Yet half the rings are here instead of whole...does this mean...Ring Conflict?' Dino blinked as he never heard of that before. His family may have been Vongola Allies but not even allies knew of Vongola Traditions.

'Bingo.' said Reborn. 'As I told you in my lessons, Vongola and CEDEF each hold half of each ring and CEDEF was born because of a betrayal in Vongola. Incase both sides don't agree on the same person, a Ring Conflict must be held to select the chosen holders the fair way even if both sides favored somebody. But its indeed odd...both Nono and CEDEF agreed on you which means...something very wrong must have happened.' he said darkly. 'Since Iemitsu will be here soon...'

Cue palpable killing intent in the room...

'Eep...T-Tsu-chan...' Dino meeped meekly and nervously. His junior is way too scary!

"Sawada-hime is not only amazing, but scary too!" Basil whimpered, actually clinging to Dino for comfort. If Basil is clinging to him, Dino is clinging to Romario...

'...we'd best ask him what's going on without our knowing.' Reborn went on normally. 'And you better get used to his presence here Tsuna. The kids can't handle your anger so rein it in.' the malice took time to fade... 'Well, we got Gokudera and Mukuro here. Give them the Storm and Mist Ring, then give Tsuna the Sky Ring Dino.' he ordered as Dino fumbled with the box to get it open to give them said rings before giving Tsuna the Sky Ring.

'Well, all that's left is your Cloud Guardian, Sun Guardian and Lightning Guardian.' Dino mused, still holding the box.

'Er Ojousama, we haven't told Turf-head yet since he's a loudmouth...will he be OK?' Gokudera asked her curiously.

'Well, I hope he can take this seriously...' Tsuna scratched his head. 'Hibari-senpai knows at least.'

'And what of your Lightning my dear?' Mukuro asked her as Tsuna twitched.

'...we need the 10 year Bazooka.' she griped while her left eyebrow is still twitching. 'There's no way I'm letting a _six year old_ face a Varia member unless anyone knows other Lightning Candidates who are older than 14? I'm open to ideas you know.'

'Y-your Lightning Guardian is six years old...?' Dino's jaws dropped in disbelief and shock and he looked ready to faint.

'And 4 months plus three weeks, five days, and 62 hours.' Tsuna quipped, causing most people to sweatdrop. 'Lambo is absolutely a last resort if there are no others.' she said seriously. 'If. There. Are. No. Others.' she growled with narrowed eyes.

'Well, once we assemble all members...shall we get more training?' Reborn suggested. 'We have until tomorrow to get ready. All of you bar the Sun and Mist could access HDWM and Tsuna's the only dum-dum to dare to use her flames when she's not yet at the level to. But now that we have the rings, you can play but its not as powerful since its just half-a-ring.'

'Aa. But we need to talk to two Lambos if we didn't find anyone.' said Tsuna, holding up two fingers. 'A teenage one and an adult one. Ten-Year Bazooka. I want to make a failsafe through 26-year-old Lambo.' she grabbed her bag and took out a notebook and pen. 'If the Cervello will show up, switching is legal isn't it?'

'Through the bazooka with your future selves, yes. Other individuals, no.'

'Oh, I'm glad Cervello isn't bitchy enough to make children fight.' Tsuna sighed in relief.

'Ho-hooo? What will you do if they didn't allow Lambo to switch?' Mukuro asked her and palpable malice filled the room again as Tsuna wore a dark smile. And her eyes are SCARY*****.

'...I'm pretty sure the organization won't miss two missing employees, right? Or Vongola won't miss Cervello in its entirety?'

Silence...

Mukuro just laughed.

Ahhh how he loves his future wife. Fuuta's Rankings are indeed, incredibly accurate about her. With such a person as Mafia Boss, maybe his childhood would never happen to anyone else.

'...if you do that, Vongola will work on finding new unbiased judges to judge conflicts and competition you know.' Dino sweatdropped. If one is to describe Cervello...they're...human computers. They judge by what they see happening in competitions fair and square, based on points, etc. This was why Cervello is crucial come what may.

'Don't know, don't care.' said Tsuna flatly. 'No one makes a child fight in front of me and live afterwards, aniue. No one will miss such people, you know.' she said stiffly.

xxx

And so, to Adult Lambo...Reborn noted he really, REALLY resembled Primo Fulmine Lampo.

'Tsuna-neechan!' Lambo greeted jovially. It seems no matter how much he's grown up, he's as childish as ever, but grew a habit of closing his right eye in a permanent wink. 'Thanks for calling, I just narrowly avoided babysitting duty from Adult Neechan!'

'Babysitting?' Dino blinked while Tsuna twitched before shoving a letter into Lambo's pockets, saying, 'Read it later!'

'What's so bad about babysitting my future children, Lambo-chan?!' Tsuna twitched while cracking her knuckles. Lambo meeped with his hands raised as Dino, Romario and Basil squawked out, 'CHILDREN?!'

'No offense neechan but all of them are hellions on steroids with plenty of sugar! Even I wasn't that bad at their age!' Lambo wailed. 'Without you and your husbands around(Dino, Romario and Basil: 'WHAT?! Husbands with a plural 's'?!'), all of them are hell unleashed!'

The others who knew that Tsuna had plenty of children in the future did the Math. As 24 year old Tsuna has a third pair of twins on the way, that meant the first pair are two years old and the second pair a year old. And given that ten years passed for Adult Lambo to be 26, everyone is still in Elementary.

'You mean you're often the babysitter? Kyahahaha, sucks to be you Lambo!' Gokudera laughed, but that earned him an electric shot. 'Ugyaaa!'

'Shut up, Stupidera!' Lambo yelled with a comical angry bighead. 'I often get stuck babysitting because my office is at the Vongola Mansion and my defensive power is the strongest out of you lot so anyone dumb enough to attack the mansion is black crispy!' he sighed. 'I want a pay raise! The only good thing about babysitting is I don't do paperwork on those days!'

'Tell that to YOUR Tsuna, not me you know.' Tsuna giggled. 'By the way, how many did I have?' she asked Lambo hopefully. 'By the time you got 26.'

'Eto, you had five pairs of twins. Majority are sons and three daughters. You stopped the baby-popping at age 26.' Lambo told her much to the horrors of some in the room. 'Your fourth child with this one guy is a Sky, so the siblings who have different flames completes the set of Six Guardians so its decided when we retire someday.' he said. 'I'm not saying who the fathers are, the future might get skewed.' he chuckled.

'I see...don't forget to read the letter I put in your pocket when you get back.' Tsuna told Lambo who vanished, switching with his teen self and soon, Child Lambo.

'T-that...' Dino sputtered. 'You have ten children in the future and all twins?!' he shrieked in disbelief.

'Yep~! I saw only two pairs though since ten years me is still carrying the third pair~!' Tsuna squealed and going schweet. 'They're all adorable~!'

'Oy oy Tsuna, don't get too ahead of yourself, enjoy teenage life since you're only a teenager once!' Reborn snarked out. 'Don't be a mother too soon!' "Mattaku, she's the only girl her age EXCITED to be a _mother_! Then again, seeing your future must be one big wham."

'She's off in dream world, she's clearly not listening.' Dino choked out. 'T-ten children...h-husbands...' he said shakily as he wobbled.

'She's happily married to five different men, they all share the same room too.' Mukuro quipped, wanting to push Dino to a mental breakdown.

'HIIIIII!' was what shook the rafters.

xxx

Around that night however...

In a park somewhere in Namimori...

Iemitsu nervously faced his daughter who really, REALLY despised him. Her malice of hatred is really filling up the park, and she's on her HDWM.

According to Reborn, since he never returned, various rumors and theory spread as to why he no longer came home. Hurtful rumors that sometimes Nana hears and sometimes, Tsuna hears. These theories and rumors are starting to look more and more true as he never returned, only sending money but never a peep or phone call. And given how close each house is, Nana would hear women welcoming their husbands home...

Tsuna watched her mother everyday, and gave up being a child and teenager so she would never be lonely and have a reason to stay happy by becoming a perfect daughter. She studied cooking for that very reason too and became the crutch from all those gossipy housewives. She never had a social life until she met the boys who would become her future husbands. And the reason she never treated Mukuro like a criminal was because of the future.

He had no idea that staying away for their safety would lead to THIS.

Stupid gossips!

But for now, before he could go home to Nana, he has to face a pissed-off daughter first who wanted to beat the tar out of him.

The fight begun.

Tsuna, with her natural fighting instincts and Reborn-style physical training did wonders. She's pretty good for her age and better than his own pupil, Basil. And her hits really aim to injure. This was no sparring match and she attacked in pure rage. And he accepted all his daughter's anger. Her grief, sorrow and frustration, he accepted it all.

The fighting did not stop until she tired from using prolonged HDWM...and suffered the obvious consequence. Mukuro appeared to put her to sleep by hypnosis for her to sleep off the pain.

'I can see she went all the way, father.' Mukuro smirked, causing Iemitsu to twitch.

'Its my fault in the beginning and don't call me that.' Iemitsu grumbled. 'I have to accept her feelings out here because if I show up at home instead of arranging this fight, Nana will see the truth that her husband and kid are more than they seem.' he sighed as he looked at Tsuna sadly. 'I thought what I've done protected them while I provide from afar...damn gossips.' he sighed. 'And my poor daughter who gave up a lot for Nana's sake...'

'How about you make up for it by at least, staying a year in the house?' Mukuro suggested. 'If only to dispel the gossips?'

'I can't leave CEDEF for that long...'

'That kind of thinking of work first will just make her resent you more.' said Mukuro wryly. 'Well, its up to you. Your wife and child...or CEDEF? I have seen the future when Tsuna let me into her mind...All of us are a big happy family, balancing work and each other and our children...if we can do that a decade from now...why can't you?' and he vanished.

'...I had to hear that from a Vendicare Convict of all things...' Iemitsu sighed. And he's really his future son-in-law?

'Haha, didn't see that coming, did you?' Reborn chuckled. He was hiding on a tree, watching the battle.

'I still can't believe he's my son-in-law.' Iemitsu whined.

'Well, Mukuro gave up on his murdering sprees for her and their future child and became her Mist.' said Reborn. 'We should consider this lucky. I will tell you all we learned about Rokudo Mukuro...and how he became Vendicare's youngest inmate.'

xxx

The next morning, in a hotel room...Tsuna found herself in said room that looked like a first-class suite, and her father snoring at the couch...in just underwear. She twitched...before chucking a harmless fireball at him which he dodged. The fireball disappeared into a harmless wisp.

'Whoa!'

'...I can see the intuition runs in the blood.' she said gruffly.

'Jeez, that's mean of you!' Iemitsu pouted. 'Haven't you had enough last night?'

'I still don't like you.' Tsuna grunted as Iemitsu balked. 'Anyway, meeting!' she barked with one clap of her hands. 'The frigging Varia are here after all.'

And so...

'Wooow, I never thought I'd ever step foot in a first-class room...' Ryohei marveled as he was called by Gokudera to come here with Yamamoto...and Mukuro had to drill information into his head by Hypnosis which was instant education. Granted, Ryohei was SPOOKED but still...now everyone was present.

'Everyone's finally here...and I'm amazed you booked us in a Hotel the Varia isn't using since for all I know, they also booked in the priciest hotel and first-class they could find.' Tsuna said wryly.

'I knew that, given Xanxus' and Belphegor's personalities so we're at the Second-Best to avoid attention.' said Iemitsu. 'Even Dino moved away from there when he got wind they're coming.'

'I see, you took advantage of their predictable personalities then.' Tsuna chuckled. 'So anything else that happened since Squalo failed to get the rings?'

'Well, Basil left home to lure them away with the fakes he was originally carrying.' said Reborn. 'While the real half-rings are in our possession. Sometime soon, he'll allow himself to be defeated and let the fakes be stolen while managing to survive who comes next. But probably Squalo again.'

'So, who's who in the Ring Conflict?' Gokudera asked them. 'We have our designated positions, but we don't know theirs. We can prepare if we know who we'll face.'

'Aa. As it is now, they have a few days before they figure out our trick...or a few minutes, depending on how sharp they are.' said Tsuna. 'We have to think fast. Abilities aside, what position are the others? Mammon and Xanxus are pretty obvious but five anonymous.' Mukuro just snorted. Of course he'd be fighting an outdated baby. But he was worried on how Tsuna will handle her fight. Her opponent is Xanxus.

Iemitsu took out a laptop.

'Given sources inside, Lussuria is a Muay Thai specialist(Ryohei: 'He's mine!'). Belphegor fights with knives and razor wires. Leviathan uses Electro-conduit metal 'umbrellas'. We already know what Squalo can do. And that's it. Their seventh member unknown. And there's only six plane tickets.'

'They intend on making us fight unevenly?' Kyoya frowned.

'That seems to be the case, but be wary.' Iemitsu said grimly. 'Should Tsuna lose...everyone else's wins and loses will not matter. If she loses, all will go to the Varia. It goes both ways if Xanxus loses to her.' Tsuna knew what the catch is long ago.

If she is to be at that future where she is Vongola Decimo with her family and children...she would win this for her husbands and future children.

Everyone saw that her right hand...was at her womb while deep in thought.

"Tsuna/Ojousama/Bossu-neesama..."

They knew she was thinking of the future. A future she now has to fight for and its her turn. If she loses...would she still have them? Or without access to science, be different? By 27, she can no longer support pregnancy after all.

xxx

'You're deep in thought.' said Gokudera as they talked at the hotel rooftop.

'Hai...if I lose, everyone's efforts will be for nothing...I can't allow that to happen.' said Tsuna while shaking. 'My future selves won and its now my turn to win. I have to win...because my husbands and children are waiting. If I lose...my future will be different and I'll never see them again. The world is a different and fickle place...then there's the past, present and future. Events can change with one tiny change.'

Gokudera knew that she feels that if she loses, she may as well have killed her children herself. Its what she feels.

Out of all of them, she's the most pressured.

Gokudera decided to be a man and take her into his arms.

She took care of ALL of them.

Its high time she receives in return.

He hugged her.

'Ojousama...no, Tsuna.' he said, surprising her twice. 'If you think too much and place too much pressure on yourself...the usual Tsuna we all know will never shine.' he said, looking at her with a kind smile. 'The usual Tsuna is the best Tsuna. As long as you're you, nothing will go wrong! Go at it at your best and at most comfortable so you'll have no regrets.'

'The...usual me...?'

'Hai...the kind, gentle and loving Tsuna-chan...that's who you are.' said Gokudera, brushing her fringes away so he could caress her face. 'It's the Tsuna-chan we love.' Tsuna's smiled while tears pooled up in her eyes.

'The me...you love, huh?' she mused softly. Gokudera balked and blushed stark red.

'A-a-a- I m-mean...uhm...' he sputtered out while going all awkward. Tsuna giggled before laughing...

Then pulled the taller boy down and kissed him.

When she let go...

Gokudera went to heaven.

* * *

><p>A:N- The kind Black Lagoon characters wear when they want someone dead<p> 


	14. Villains' Problem

Villains' Problem

At the Sawada Residence...

Two trucks came around morning. From FedEx. As loudly as possible too!

'What in the world...?!' Nana gasped out as while looking out the window.

'What is it, mama?' Tsuna asked her while making bento.

'...two trucks of FedEx is here.' Nana mused with blinking, owlish eyes.

'FedEx?!' cue a cacophony of 'honk-honk's and Nana's loud squealing that Iemitsu sent them new furniture from France and that it got here first before the man himself did because his passport had gotten expired and needed replacing so his arrival will be delayed. Nana had to sign some papers with everyone in the house having to help bring the new furniture in...and chuck the old ones out as a result.

In the meanwhile...

Gokudera was having difficulties being 'the usual' around his ojousama.

She kissed him at the Hotel Rooftop.

He could still feel her soft lips and chaste kiss on his own.

Her soft lips...

Her kiss...

'Gokudera-nii, you OK?' Fuuta asked him. 'Your face is red...'

'I-it's nothing!' at the kitchen, Tsuna was smiling.

Well, she kissed her closest man after all...its probably ALIEN to him that he got kissed by his boss like that! Ufufufufufu...

"Ojousama...kissed me..." Gokudera thought with a blush. She said she has five husbands. Five. Mukuro is obviously one of them given how they are around each other...the fact that she kissed him may mean...

Blood spurted out of his nose.

'WAAAAH! TSUNA-NEECHAN, STUPIDERA'S NOSE IS BLEEDING!' Lambo wailed, causing Gokudera to sputter awkwardly, wondering how to explain this away...

'Gokudera?!' came the outburst from the kitchen which was heard all the way into the living room.

'It's nothing ojousama! I hit myself from slipping in the bathroom!' Gokudera squawked frantically. 'Nothing tissue can't fix!'

'Tissue?!' Tsuna shrieked as she stomped into the living room. 'You, me, upstairs, now!' thus against his will, he was dragged upstairs.

'...did he really bump into the bathroom?' Lambo wondered aloud. Mukuro just snickered. 'Mukuro, you know how?'

'Ufufufu...saa...' his bird body chuckled as he used his claws to scratch an annoying itch by his head.

xxx

'Muuu, you should have said something~!' Gokudera was forced into bed with a clothespin on his nose, after his face was cleaned up.

'Ehm, I didn't want to bother you...you're always working in the mornings.' Gokudera stammered out weakly. Tsuna sighed as she embraced him...on the bed. He blushed again.

'Gokudera...didn't I tell you that as long as its about well-being, always ask?' Tsuna reminded him in a gentle, chiding manner. 'You know what's important to me, right?'

Gokudera swallowed.

To his beloved boss, the happiness of her family was important. She gave up being a normal girl and teenager for that. Its the way she is for years.

'H-hai...'

'That's why...tell me if something's wrong, OK?' Tsuna said kindly. Gokudera took a deep breath before daring himself to embrace her again...just like yesterday morning.

'You too...you're always taking everything on yourself shouldering everything.' Gokudera snarked playfully. 'You don't have to. We're family.'

'Well, shall we go back down there?' Tsuna chirped. 'I do have lunches to make and you have to get ready for school.' Gokudera sputtered at that.

'You have to too you know!'

Tsuna's laughter was melodic to the ears.

xxx

School...

Not really.

They pretended to go to school to keep up appearances to Nana. In reality, the bentos were for lunch break during training!

They have the Varia to face after all...

Ryohei trained with Reborn, Dino took on Kyoya, Takeshi trained with his father, Gokudera trained with Shamal, and Mukuro trained Chrome. Lambo was being trained in how to quickly switch with his future selves as they will fight for him...using Paintball Guns that looked similar to his Bazooka and operates like one by Colonello and the future selves train to end fights in four minutes and ten seconds when he has to use the real Bazooka.

Tsuna has it the strictest, having to face both her father and Basil, since her opponent was Xanxus. She fights two opponents at once.

'Tsuna, I heard from Reborn your intuition is bordering on Psychic...' said Iemitsu as they ate the lunch she made. They swooned at how delicious it is and to think her guardians are enjoying this every damn day...! And now Nana and Tsuna's new 'sister' Chrome are learning from her and inherited her tapes to become as good as she is until they can progress together with the new tapes.

'Well...yeah. Been like this for years.' said Tsuna. 'Even if I didn't study, as long as the exams are Multiple Choice I'd always get it right.' the CEDEF members sweatdropped. 'Then again, as long as I cracked a book, even if I forgot I'd always end up remembering it when needed...well, have you found out what happened to the ninth? There was to be no Conflict in the first place. My generation would inherit it easy as we've known for several months now.'

'Yeah, we knew something's wrong and CEDEF's looking into it...' said Iemitsu. 'I for one, have never been more grateful when Primo founded CEDEF.'

'Why'd he do that when he already has Vongola? That wasn't in Reborn's lessons since even he doesn't know.' Tsuna frowned at that.

'It's a tale only Vongola Heirs and CEDEF knows. No one else.' said Iemitsu grimly. 'Or should I say only we have the right to know.' he chuckled before going serious again. 'Thirty years after retirement...Vongola Ottava was traveling around the world with her guardians, enjoying life free from Mafia Business and everyone's most hateful enemy paperwork and happily dumped that job on her son Timoteo, your predecessor.' he sighed wistfully as Tsuna sweatdropped. 'On her first year touring Europe when she ended up in France...she found an old, dilapidated mansion belonging to a very old, certain family...and since the name was in our history, she took interest as she and her guardians explored, looking for stuff they can find...until Ottava's intuition led her to a diary.'

'It belonged to Alaude, the first Cloud Guardian.' said Iemitsu as he took out a Disk. 'We digitized his diary in seven mostly-spoken languages as the original diary is a precious treasure of CEDEF given to us by Ottava on her deathbed. He's our founder after all...'

'If I'm Nono's successor, who's CEDEF's?' Tsuna asked him. putting the disk in the lunch bag.

'Well, given who started it, all Cloud Guardians must inherit CEDEF. What Vongola and CEDEF publicly knows is Alaude made that clear due to the role and nature of Cloud Guardians.' said Iemitsu. 'I was the only exception because Visconti, the oldest of Nono's Guardians has no options and Timoteo recommended me anyway. Someday I have to groom Hibari-kun into becoming my successor.'

'I'll be sure to let him know once we read this disk together.' said Tsuna. 'Now then, an hour break before we go round 2.'

xxx

Saturday, sixth day...

'...I'm surprised that Varia is taking THIS long...' Tsuna muttered as she went to the market...Iemitsu gave her a lot of money to buy a lot of seafood. "Must've gotten dumb..."

'VOOOI!' Tsuna winced. 'I found you!' Tsuna turned to look behind her with inner exasperation as Squalo was there, dressed normally...but of course, she could see his hidden weapon up his sleeve.

"Damn shark." Tsuna put on her best lady face. 'Hello again, psychotic shark.' she spoke in English. Squalo twitched. 'How may I help you?'

'Given info about you, we really could use you even if the boss will kick your ass.' Squalo grumbled back in the same language. Tsuna knew that they know the truth by now. 'Fucking boss killed the fucking cook because he sucks and now the Hotel Employees ran away!' Tsuna sighed.

'You're paying for the shopping until new cooks are hired!'

'Why do **I** have to pay?!'

'Make Xanxus pay then, idiot. Did I say shopping will come out of YOUR paycheck?' Squalo sputtered out in embarrassment. He assumed such and he really didn't want to...

'Hell no!'

'Well, tell him that then...oh, and you'll help me with shopping~!' Tsuna chimed in a cutesy feminine pose. 'You DO owe me for messing my territory after all so today, you're my luggage boy!'

'VOOIII?!' Squalo squawked out in disbelief. 'How'd it get into this?!'

In the end, he had no choice in the matter, because Tsuna insisted, 'It's training for you or Varia Quality is lighter?' with pride on the line, he reluctantly agreed...and he looked ridiculous in carrying so many all at once.

Well played Tsuna, well played.

xxx

The Hotel...the kitchen...

'Huh, the employees left the kitchens huh?' Tsuna sweatdropped at the silent kitchen.

'That's how it is.' said Squalo gruffly, putting down the shopping. 'I'll be waiting outside since all bell boys got spooked too and the Varia Cooks will arrive tomorrow morning so we want dinner! Oh, and I already instructed you with how the shitty boss likes his steak and how many he can eat.'

'Hai hai...'

And so...Tsuna started to work with the shopping...to cook the Varia dinner. At the Sawada Residence, her family is in utter disbelief that she got hired!

It took about two hours before everything was over and done with.

And so...

'Squalo~! It's done!' Tsuna called out as Squalo opened the door...' and his nose is assaulted with a powerful, fragrant mix of aromas coming from freshly cooked food. And said food...looks like a damn painting with how good they look.

'W-well...wow...' he choked out.

'We can't carry all this by ourselves you know...how about you phone some muscle over?' Tsuna pointed out as Squalo wasted no time in taking out his phone, and called Levi and Lussuria over.

'Oh wow~! This is super extravagant~!' Lussuria swooned at the sight of the food while Levi swallowed the drool that pooled in his mouth.

'Well, I'll be going home now~' said Tsuna but all three froze...

'Not yet.' said Lussuria seriously.

'Huh?'

'Body search!' he declared a tad too cheerfully, kicking Levi and Squalo out and shut the door to the kitchen. 'Leave us ladies!'

'YOU'RE NOT A LADY!' Squalo and Levi yelled in a momentary Tsukkomi-Bokke period.

'Well, I suppose better you than them.' Tsuna deadpanned as Lussuria chuckled. 'And body search for what? All I have is money you know.'

'Well, something we want is here and we wonder if you have it, dearie~' said Lussuria as he checked Tsuna's purse that only contained an ATM Card and a thick wad of cash. 'OK now, strip~'

'You're having way too much fun.' Tsuna sighed, slightly embarrassed as she took off her clothes for Lussuria to take and hid her chest with her hair. Lussuria checked the clothes...even the heels of her shoes! 'Stuff like hidden heel compartments are only in the movies!'

'Oh, we do that too you know!' said Lussuria cheerfully. 'And you're wearing really cute underwear too! Japanese culture really is something!' he squealed, eyeing her bra and panties. 'Italian wear is so drab and plain!'

'Well, we Japanese like everything we own cute.' Tsuna chuckled when Lussuria was behind her instantly and his hands were...on her breasts. 'Kyaa!'

'Nothing under the bra but for a thirteen year old you sure are stacked~!' Lussuria purred as he groped some more before letting go. 'Ah, had you remained a Lady your husband to be is quite the lucky man~! Now off with the panties...' Tsuna looked scandalized and horrified.

'Why would I hide _things_ in my panties?!'

'Fufufu, female assassins hide stuff in their anal cavities and even their vaginas you know...' Tsuna looked horrified.

'Geeeeeeh?! What kinda world do you live in?!' she yelled in disbelief and scandalized that she's subject to this...this...!

'The same world you'll get yourself into someday so get used to it! Now then...' Lussuria controlled her body with quick displays of strength to yank off her panties and positioned her body on the table with her torso lying on her stomach with her legs off the table. 'I'll be gentle just this once~ I can see you're untouched.' he chuckled as he removed his gloves and he somehow had a lubricant in his pocket. After coating his fingers, he began probing her vagina, causing Tsuna to squirm... 'Nothing, now the anus...' that, was OUCH! 'Nothing either...OK now!'

'...how many, are dumb enough to hide stuff _there_?' Tsuna gasped out weakly as she went to reach for her other clothes while Lussuria went to wash his hands at the sink.

'Believe me, you don't wanna know dearie!' Lussuria laughed in a haughty-lady manner. 'I'm the nicest one in strip-search, the others are not-so-nice.'

'...'

xxx

'She doesn't have a ring?' Squalo frowned as they took their dinner to the elevators.

'Yeah, nada.' said Lussuria. 'Maybe they're not making contact with her group yet to keep us off them.' he said. 'Otherwise if Decima-chan has the ring she would have put up more of a struggle when I demanded a Strip-Search.'

'...'

'Well, looks like we'll have to hunt CEDEF since they deliberately made us get fakes.' Squalo scowled. 'The boss ain't gonna be happy about this! Or what if she does have the shitty ring and hid it somewhere? That can also be it.'

'Then we'll just have to spy on them.' said Levi.

'...how much do we pay Mammon again?'

xxx

On the way home...Tsuna made sure Lussuria didn't leave anything in her clothes and purse before putting them back on.

'Fuuu...good thing Reborn has my ring...' Tsuna whistled cheerfully. 'Too bad I'm smarter~!'

'Ojousama!'

'Bossu-neesama!'

'Tsuna!'

'What the heck happened?!' all of her family demanded.

She decided to keep the body search thing quiet. Its embarrassing.


End file.
